centinaio

Centinaio is an Italian noun that denotes a quantity close to one hundred. It is used to indicate an approximate count rather than an exact number, and it can appear in phrases such as un centinaio di X or centinaia di X, where X is a plural noun.

The singular form is centinaio, and the corresponding plural form is centinaia. The phrase centinaia di [qualcosa] is common for indicating hundreds of items or people. In everyday language, centinaio and centinaia convey an appreciable but non-specific amount, similar to “a hundred-odd” or “hundreds of” in English.

Etymologically, centinaio shares its root with cento (hundred) and is built with a suffix that signals an approximate collective quantity. The word is widely used in standard Italian, both in spoken and written form, and it often appears when a precise census or tally is unnecessary or unavailable.

In addition to its numerical sense, centinaio can appear in literary or journalistic contexts to emphasize abundance or to describe large crowds, inventories, or gatherings. For example, un centinaio di persone erano presenti at the meeting, or centinaia di libri sono stati donati.

Centinaio is also a surname in Italy. Notable bearers include Italian individuals in public life who carry Centinaio as a family name.

See also: cento, centinaia, diverse synonyms for large quantities such as gran numero, moltitudine.