A century refers to a period of 100 years. The word century comes from the Latin word centum, meaning “hundred.”
A century can refer to any period of 100 consecutive years. It is most commonly used to refer to numbered periods of history. For example:
- The 1st century spanned from the year 1 to 100.
- The 20th century spanned from 1901 to 2000.
- We are currently living in the 21st century, which began in 2001 and will end in 2100.
A century can also refer more broadly to any 100 years, not just those aligned with the Gregorian calendar. For example, a person who lives to be 100 years old has lived a century.
| Unit | Number of Units in a Century |
|---|---|
| Years | 100 |
| Months | 1,200 |
| Weeks | 5,214.29 |
| Days | 36,525 |
| Hours | 876,600 |
| Minutes | 52,596,000 |
| Seconds | 3,155,760,000 |
The concept of a century as a coherent historical period is a convenient way for historians to discuss and categorize eras of human civilization and progress.
Major historical events tend to unfold over centuries. Looking at history through a century lens allows us to understand better how events and cultural trends were shaped over the long arc of time.
Though a century spans only 100 years, it can witness dramatic changes in politics, technology, and culture. The 19th century, for instance, saw the Industrial Revolution, the abolition of slavery, and the advent of electricity and the telephone.
So in summary, a century is defined as a 100-year span of time. It is an important unit for organizing and studying history, marking major turning points in human civilization that tend to unfold across the long course of a century.
Though 100 years may seem short from the vast sweep of history, a century provides plenty of time for dramatic change.