cento Italian · revision 38832

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1151, Osimo charter|origins=ine-pro *ḱm̥tóm}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈt͡ʃɛn.to/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cento''' (invariable)^(Wiktionary)

+ The old forms include [[roa-oit|ciento]] in Florence and Siena, [[m|roa-oit|centu]] in the Marche and Pisa, and plural [[m|roa-oit|centi]] in some northern and central texts; the northern dialects have forms like [[lmo|zent]].^(LEI|13, 897)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|centum|t=hundred]], an indeclinable numeral.^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary) The Latin word survives across the Romance languages except Romanian, which took [[ro|sută]] from Slavic: [[dlm|ciant]], [[fr|cent]], [[oc|cen]], [[ca|cent]], [[es|ciento]], [[pt|cento]] and [[sc|chentu]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(LEI|13, 897)^(REW 1935)^(DEI|855) It also passed into [[sq|qind|alt=kínti]].^(LEI|13, 897)

+

+ The Latin word goes back to [[itc-pro|*kəntom]] and [[ine-pro|*ḱm̥tóm]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) It is one of the best attested words of the Indo-European family, with cognates such as [[grc|ἑκατόν|tr=hekatón]], [[sa|शत|tr=śatá]], [[ae|satəm]], [[lt|šimtas]], [[sga|cét]] and [[got|𐌷𐌿𐌽𐌳|tr=hund]], the source of [[de|Hundert]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Devoto 1968) Nocentini explains it as an old noun derived from [[ine-pro|*déḱm̥|t=ten]], a multiple of ten, and de Vaan as an ordinal formation, “the tenth ten”, from an older [[ine-pro|*dḱm̥tóm]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ In Tuscan, the numbers from 101 to 199 have shortened forms in ⟨cen-⟩ such as [[cencinquanta]] from the 14th century.^(DEI|855)^(LEI|13, 897)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The first record is a charter from Osimo in the Marche, dated 1151, which counts ''bizantii centu de auro'', a hundred gold bezants.^(LEI|13, 897)^(Nocentini 2010) A Florentine book of accounts has ''ciento'' in 1211, and the ''Proverbia super natura feminarum'' of the early 13th century has ''cento''.^(DELI 1999) The use for an indefinite large number is already in the Ritmo laurenziano at the end of the 12th century, and LEI notes that it was already Latin.^(DELI 1999)^(LEI|13, 897)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the start the numeral served for a large indefinite number, as in Dante's “he gave him perhaps a hundred blows and he didn't feel ten” (''gliene diè cento, e non sentì le diece'').^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(DELI 1999) Boccaccio's ''Decameron'' set out to tell ''cento novelle'', a hundred tales.^(GDLI)^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)

+

+ In 19th-century inns the lavatory was marked with the number 100, so that ''il cento'' became a euphemism for it (1846, Carena); French had ''numéro cent'' in the same sense from 1808, and Littré took it for a pun on ''sent'', “smells”.^(DELI 1999)^(Prati 1951) DELI derives ''al cento per cento'', “completely”, from American English.^(DELI 1999) The derivatives include ''centinaio'', about a hundred (1231–1232, Siena), ''centesimo'', the hundredth part and a coin (1800), and the metric words ''centimetro'' and ''centigrado'', which came from French after the Revolution.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1151 – ''Centu'' in a charter from Osimo.^(LEI|13, 897)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * End of the 12th century – The Ritmo laurenziano uses it for an indefinite large number.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1211 – ''Ciento'' in a Florentine book of accounts.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1231–1232 – ''Centinaio'' is recorded at Siena.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1313 – Dante uses ''cento'' (''cento anni'').^(LEI|13, 897)

+ * 1799 – ''Centimetro'' is recorded, from French ''centimètre''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1846 – ''Il cento'' as a euphemism for the lavatory.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Numeral===

+ # [[m|en|hundred|alt=One hundred]], ten times ten (100, Roman C): ''Il viaggio dura cento minuti.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # As part of higher numbers: ''centouno'', ''duecento'', ''tremilacento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # With the noun understood: speed, a banknote, a race: ''andare ai cento all'ora'', ''i cento metri'', the 100-metre race.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+ # A great number, many: ''Te l'ho chiesto cento volte.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # About a hundred, with ''un'': ''un cento persone''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+ # After a noun, hundredth: ''pagina cento''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The number one hundred, and the sign for it.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # ''per cento'' (%), [[m|en|per cent]]: ''uno sconto del dieci per cento''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+ # The top mark in some examinations, such as the Italian school-leaving exam.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wikizionario)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[centellinare]]

+ * [[centellino]]

+ * [[centenario]]

+ * [[centenne]]

+ * [[centesimale]]

+ * [[centesimo]]

+ * [[centigrado]]

+ * [[centigrammo]]

+ * [[centilitro]]

+ * [[centimetro]]

+ * [[centinaio]]

+ * [[centuplo]]

+ * [[centopiedi]]

+ * [[centomila]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[la|centum]]

+ * [[fr|cent]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Cento'' is elided before ''anni'': ''cent'anni''.^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''Cento di questi giorni!'' is a birthday wish, and ''al cento per cento'' means completely.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)^(Treccani 2011) ''Una ne fa e cento ne pensa'' is said of someone full of ideas or pranks.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}