centuryold

Century-old is an English adjective used to describe something that is roughly one hundred years old or dates from about a hundred years ago. In common usage, the term highlights longevity or historical distance, often applied to buildings, artifacts, traditions, organizations, or landscapes. The exact age may vary; items described as century-old are typically at least a century old, but the phrase can be used for approximate dating when precise records are unavailable.

Grammatical notes: century-old is a compound modifier that is usually hyphenated when placed before a noun, as in a century-old building. In predicative position after a verb such as "is," some writers retain the hyphen ("is century-old"), while others write without it ("is century old").

Origin and usage: The term reflects a historical perspective, enabling writers to convey age without giving precise dates. It is common in journalism, historical writing, and descriptions of heritage. Variants include "century-long" (less common) or "one-century-old" (rare); "hundred-year-old" is another frequent construction, more explicit about the exact age.

See also: age, longevity, chronology, heritage, antiquity.