The building blocks of English

Affixes

centi-

One hundredth; a multiple of a hundred.

Latin centum, a hundred.

In current usage, centi‑ always denotes a fractional unit, as in centimetre for one hundredth of a metre, or centilitre (centiliter in US) for a hundredth of a litre. It is one of the standard SI (Système International) multiples (see the entry Number words). There are a few older words in which the form represents a hundred, as in centipede (Latin pes, ped‑, foot) for an insect with (supposedly) a hundred legs, or the centigrade scale of temperature (now officially called the Celsius scale), in which the range between the freezing and boiling point of water is divided into one hundred parts.

Support this website

This dictionary contains more than 1,250 entries, illustrated by some 10,000 examples, all defined and explained for your information and emjoyment.

There are no advertisements to interrupt your reading pleasure. I rely on your generosity to cover running costs. Donations made via PayPal are secure.