Definition

1. Noun:

   • A person who is at least 100 years old.

2. Adjective:

   • Being at least 100 years old; relating to a person who is 100 years old or more.

Usage

• The word centenarian is used to specifically denote the remarkable age of one hundred years or more. As a noun, it refers to the person who has reached this age. As an adjective, it describes the person or attributes related to that age milestone.

Examples

• Noun:

  • My great-grandmother became a centenarian last year, and we had a large celebration.
  • The study interviewed several centenarians to learn about their lifestyles and diets.

• Adjective:

  • She is a centenarian woman, full of stories about the last century.
  • The town honored its centenarian residents with a special ceremony.

Advanced Usage

• Demographic term: In sociology and demography, "centenarian" is a formal term for a person aged 100 or over, often studied in research on aging and longevity.

  • The number of centenarians in the population is increasing due to advances in healthcare.

• Supercentenarian: This is a related but distinct term for a person who has reached the age of 110 years or more.

  • While a centenarian is 100+, a supercentenarian is a much rarer individual over 110.

Variants and Related Words

• Centenary (Noun): A one-hundredth anniversary.
  • The university celebrated its centenary in 2020.
• Centennial (Adjective & Noun): Lasting for or relating to a period of 100 years; a hundredth anniversary.
  • The town held a centennial parade.

Synonyms

• Noun: Centenarian (has no perfect synonym; "100-year-old" is a descriptive phrase).
• Adjective: Centenarian (has no perfect synonym; "century-old" can describe objects, not typically people).

Related Phrases

• To become a centenarian: To reach the age of 100.
  • He hopes to become a centenarian like his grandfather.
• Centenarian status: The condition of being 100 years old.
  • Achieving centenarian status is a significant life milestone.

Adjective

1. being at least 100 years old

Noun

1. someone who is at least 100 years old