centenarian
sen-ti-NAIR-ee-un
/ˌsɛn.tɪˈnɛər.i.ən/
A person who has reached the age of 100 years or more; relating to a person of this age.
Specific demographic term for someone who has lived a full century.
The story behind the word. Formed in late nineteenth-century English from the Latin 'centenarius' (containing a hundred). It joined a family of English demographic words based on Latin decades (like octogenarian for someone in their 80s and nonagenarian for someone in their 90s).
Word relationships
- 100-year-old: '100-year-old' is plain language; 'centenarian' is the precise formal and demographic term.
Commonly confused with
- supercentenarian: A centenarian is 100 or older; a supercentenarian has reached the age of 110 or older.
Word family
- centenary (noun): A 100th anniversary or its celebration.
Collocations
- centenarian milestone
- living centenarian
- centenarian population
- celebrate a centenarian
Example sentences
- "The town organized a parade to celebrate the cheerful centenarian who blew out one hundred candles on her cake." Public News
- "Researchers are studying centenarian populations to understand genetics associated with healthy longevity." Demographic Study
Memory hook
CENT = 100; a CENT-enarian has lived 100 years. Living a full century of life.
When not to use
Do not use for general old age unless the person is confirmed to be at least 100 years old.
Fun facts
- In the UK, the reigning monarch traditional sends a personalized congratulatory greeting card to every citizen who becomes a centenarian.
Explore more words
octogenarian, longevity, lifespan, senescence, geriatric, biography
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