nineteenth-century

UK: ˌnaɪnˈtiːnθ ˈsɛn.tʃər.i | US: ˌnaɪnˈtiːnθ ˈsɛn.tʃər.i

Definition

  1. adj. relating to the period between 1801 and 1900

  2. n. the 19th century as a historical era

Structure
nineteenth <ordinal number for 19>century <period of 100 years>
Etymology

The word combines "nineteenth," derived from Old English "nigon" (nine) + "-teoþa" (ordinal suffix), with "century," from Latin "centuria" (group of one hundred). The hyphenated form emerged in the 19th century itself to describe events, styles, or objects from that era. The term reflects a straightforward numerical-logical construction, marking time in hundred-year increments.

Examples

  1. Nineteenth-century literature often explored themes of industrialization.

  2. This museum specializes in nineteenth-century art.

  3. The invention of the telephone was a pivotal nineteenth-century achievement.

  4. Her research focuses on nineteenth-century political movements.

  5. The house retains its original nineteenth-century architecture.