Cen"tu*ry (?), n.; pl. Centuries (#). [L. centuria (in senses 1 & 3), fr. centum a hundred: cf. F. centurie. See Cent.] 1. A hundred; as, a century of sonnets; an aggregate of a hundred things. [Archaic.]

And on it said a century of prayers.
Shak.

2. A period of a hundred years; as, this event took place over two centuries ago.

&fist; Century, in the reckoning of time, although often used in a general way of any series of hundred consecutive years (as, a century of temperance work), usually signifies a division of the Christian era, consisting of a period of one hundred years ending with the hundredth year from which it is named; as, the first century (a. d. 1-100 inclusive); the seventh century (a.d. 601- 700); the eighteenth century (a.d. 1701- 1800). With words or phrases connecting it with some other system of chronology it is used of similar division of those eras; as, the first century of Rome (A.U.C. 1-100).

3. (Rom. Antiq.) (a) A division of the Roman people formed according to their property, for the purpose of voting for civil officers. (b) One of sixty companies into which a legion of the army was divided. It was Commanded by a centurion.

• A period of 100 years. Often specifically a numbered period with conventional start and end dates; e.g., the twentieth century, which stretches from (strictly) 1901 through 2000, or (informally) 1900 through 1999. The first century AD was from 1 to 100.
  
• A unit of the ancient Roman army with 60 to 80 soldiers, commanded by a centurion.
  
• A political division of ancient Rome, meeting in the Centuriate Assembly.
  
• (Cricket) a hundred runs scored either by a single player in one innings, or by two players in a partnership.
  
• (cycling, US) A ride 100 miles in length.