twentieth-century

UK: ˈtwentiəθ ˈsɛnʧʊri | US: ˈtwɛntiəθ ˈsɛnʧəri

Definition

  1. adj. relating to the period between 1901 and 2000

  2. n. the era spanning from 1901 to 2000

Structure
twentieth <ordinal number form of "twenty">century <period of 100 years>
Etymology

The word combines "twentieth," derived from Old English "twentig" (a compound of "twen-" [two] + "-tig" [group of ten]), with "century," from Latin "centuria" (from "centum," meaning "hundred"). The hyphenated form emerged in the 19th century to describe the 1900s, reflecting a shift toward era-specific terminology. The morphemes retain their original spellings while logically segmenting the concept into ordinal and temporal units.

Examples

  1. Twentieth-century art revolutionized traditional techniques.

  2. The invention of the internet was a pivotal twentieth-century achievement.

  3. Her research focuses on twentieth-century political movements.

  4. Jazz became a defining genre of twentieth-century music.

  5. Many twentieth-century technologies are now obsolete.