XVIIIe

XVIIIe is the French abbreviation for the eighteenth century, referred to as XVIIIe siècle. In the Gregorian calendar, the standard scholarly dating places the century from 1701 to 1800, though popular usage often renders it as 1700–1799. The suffix -e marks the ordinal form in French numeric notation (as in XIIe, XVIIIe).

The XVIIIe century was marked by major intellectual, cultural, and political change. It is associated with the Enlightenment, an era of emphasis on reason, science, and reform of political and social institutions. Advancements in chemistry, physics, and natural history accompanied developments in philosophy and the arts. In Europe, the century saw shifts in governance, the rise of centralized states, and increasing challenges to absolute monarchies. Global connections expanded through trade, colonialism, and conflict, including wars that reshaped continents.

Culturally, the period saw the Rococo and the rise of Neoclassicism in art and architecture, as well as influential developments in music, literature, and theatre. Prominent thinkers and writers—such as Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau in philosophy, and a range of scientists and naturalists—shaped modern thought. The century also culminated in transformative political events, notably the American War of Independence (1775–1783) and the French Revolution beginning in 1789, which had lasting global repercussions.

The term XVIIIe is primarily used in French-language contexts to denote this historical span, while English and other languages more commonly use “the eighteenth century.” The concept remains a chronological frame for studies in history, philosophy, science, and the arts.