4 syllables: Cen, te, na, ry. Stress on Cen.
SEN-tuh-ner-ee
/ˈsɛntəˌnɛɹi/
Centenary is pronounced SEN-tuh-ner-ee (/ˈsɛntəˌnɛɹi/). It has four syllables (Cen-te-na-ry), with the stress on "Cen". Centenary (noun) refers to a period of one hundred years, typically marked by a celebration or commemoration of an event that occurred a century ago. It can also denote the celebration itself, or a centennial year. The term emphasizes a full century and common usage includes phrases like “centenary celebration” or “centenary year.”.
nounCentenary (noun) refers to a period of one hundred years, typically marked by a celebration or commemoration of an event that occurred a century ago. It can also denote the celebration itself, or a centennial year. The term emphasizes a full century and common usage includes phrases like “centenary celebration” or “centenary year.”
How to Pronounce Centenary
"The town held a centenary parade to commemorate its founding in 1824."
"We are planning a centenary celebration for the hospital’s history in 2025."
"The centenary of the university was commemorated with exhibitions and guest lectures."
Pronounce as /ˈsen.təˌner.i/ in US and UK; Australian typically /ˈsen.təˌnɛr.i/ or /ˈsen.təˌneə.ɹi/. Primary stress on the first syllable SEN, with a secondary stress on ner. Tongue position for ‘sen’ is front, near-high vowel; ‘tə’ is a schwa; ‘ner’ uses a rhotic or non-rhotic r depending on accent; ‘i’ is a short vowel as in 'sit'. Audio reference: listen to native readers in dictionaries; the rhythm is trochaic with a light second stressed syllable.
Mistakes include over-stressing the second syllable (‘sen-TE-ner-y’) and flattening the middle vowel to a flat schwa with no secondary stress. Another error is pronouncing it as ‘cent-uh-NAIR-ee’ with Americanized diphthongs or misplacing the stress toward the end (‘sen-tuh-NEAR-ee’). Correction: keep SEN as the primary beat, deliver a clear schwa in the middle, and place secondary emphasis on ‘ner’ without turning it into a separate strong syllable. End with a light, crisp ‘ee’ sound.
US: /ˈsen.təˌner.i/ with rhotic r optional in connected speech; UK: /ˈsen.tən.ə.ri/ or /ˈsen.tən.əri/ with weaker rhoticity; AU: often /ˈsen.təˌniə.ɹi/ or /ˈsen.tə.nə.ɹi/ with non-rhotic tendencies and vowel qualities closer to /ə/ in the middle. The main differences are the middle vowel length and the final vowel quality, plus the prevalence of rhotic or non-rhotic r sounds in connected speech.
Difficulties stem from the multi-syllabic structure and the middle syllable’s reduced vowel with secondary stress placement. Learners often misplace stress, compress /tə/ to a syllable less prominent, or mishandle the final -ary as /əri/ vs /əri/. Focus on maintaining a clear SEN primary stress, a light schwa in the middle, and a crisp final -ry or -ri depending on the accent.
Centenary features a distinct three-syllable rhythm with a deliberate separation between the consonant clusters: /ˈsen.təˌner.i/. The “ner” syllable carries the secondary stress, while the final “i” remains a short, high-front vowel. Avoid blending into one syllable; articulate each vowel distinctly to preserve the word’s cadence and to match standard educated pronunciation.
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US: Rhotic r influences the /r/ in center syllable; keep it short, not too retroflex. UK: Non-rhotic or weakly rhotic; the middle vowel tends toward /ə/ and final /ri/ becomes /ri/ with a clearer ending. AU: Non-rhotic; the middle vowel may be a deeper /ə/ plus a closer final vowel, sometimes /ɪə/ depending on speaker. Use IPA cues: US /ˈsen.təˌner.i/, UK /ˈsen.tən.əri/, AU /ˈsen.təˌneə.ɹi/; mouth positions: front lips for SEN, relaxed jaw for /tə/, curled tongue for /nər/ with light r in rhotic accents.
Centenary comes from Middle French centenarie, from Latin centenarius, meaning 'of a hundred' (centum = hundred). The root cent- traces to the Latin numerative centum. The suffix -ary, forming adjectives or nouns, indicates relation or belonging. The word entered English in the late Middle Ages through scholarly and ecclesiastical usage to denote a period of one hundred years, or a celebration held to mark such a period. Over time, centenary broadened to refer to any centennial event or commemoration, not just the calendar year itself. First known uses appear in English texts around the 15th to 16th centuries, particularly within historical or ceremonial contexts, and later gained popularity in commemorative naming (e.g., centenary celebrations, centenary editions).
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Words that rhyme with "Centenary"
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