cent

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noun

1
: a monetary unit equal to ¹/₁₀₀ of a basic unit of value (such as dollar, euro, rand) see birr, dollar, euro, leone, lilangeni, nakfa, rand, rupee, shilling at Money Table
2
: a coin, token, or note representing one cent
3
: the fen of the People's Republic of China

cent

2 of 3

abbreviation (1)

Cent

3 of 3

abbreviation (2)

Examples of cent in a Sentence

Noun A dime is worth 10 cents.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
At the age of twenty-seven, Trujillo won with almost a hundred per cent of the vote. Geraldo Cadava, The New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, Walmart+ members can save 10 cents per gallon on fuel at over 13,000 Exxon, Mobil, Walmart and Murphy stations. Ryley Amond, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2024 Save 10 cents on gas at approximately 7,000 BP, Amoco and ampm gas stations across the U.S. Chris Sims is a digital content producer at Midwest Connect Gannett. Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 23 Oct. 2024 Amazon Prime members can get their newest perk at the pump: 10 cents off every gallon of gas. Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, hundred, from Latin centum — more at hundred

First Known Use

Noun

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cent was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near cent

Cite this Entry

“Cent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cent

noun
ˈsent
1
: a unit of value equal to ¹⁄₁₀₀ part of a basic unit of money (as of a dollar or euro)
2
: a coin or bill representing one cent
Etymology

Noun

from early French cent "hundred," from Latin centum "hundred"

More from Merriam-Webster on cent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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