halfcentury

Halfcentury is a term that denotes a period of fifty years. It is often written as half-century, though some older or less common texts may appear with alternate spellings such as halfcentury. The word forms a compound of half and century, with century tracing back to Latin and Old French roots meaning a set of one hundred years, while half-century literally halves that span.

In usage, halfcentury describes both elapsed time and a target or milestone. It commonly appears in discussions of history, genealogies, and organizational timelines—for example, noting that a company has operated for half a century. It is also used in commemorations of anniversaries and milestone ages, such as a person reaching their fifty-second year, or a 50-year anniversary of an event or institution. In shorthand, “half-century” is the standard, with “halfcentury” seen less often in modern writing.

Specialized uses occur in sports and other activities. In cricket, a batsman who scores 50 or more runs achieves a half-century. In endurance sports such as cycling or running, a common informal goal is a half-century distance, typically 50 miles or 50 kilometers, depending on the discipline and context.

Etymologically, the term reflects the straightforward combination of half and century, and it remains a straightforward way to express a 50-year interval. While half-century and half-century-long are the preferred modern forms, the single-word variant halfcentury is encountered occasionally in less formal contexts or older texts. See also century, fifty-year anniversary, and sports terms for related concepts.