centi-

/ˈsɛn.tə/

//ˈsɛn.tə// prefix

"centi" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“centi-” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a prefix. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - one-hundredth

Corpus desk

Index EN-centi · centi- · English

centi- · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for centi-
PropertyValue
Headwordcenti-
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechPrefix
IPA/ˈsɛn.tə/
Letters6
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “centi-” sits in English frequency

centi- falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

centi- is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as aprefix, transcribed /ˈsɛn.tə/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for centi-, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French centi- and its etymon Latin centi-, from centum (“hundred”). Doublet of hecato- and hecto-. The correct English form is centi-, spelled C-E-N-T-I--.

Definition

  1. 1
    one-hundredth
  2. 2
    one-hundredth
  3. 3
    hundred

Etymology

From French centi- and its etymon Latin centi-, from centum (“hundred”). Doublet of hecato- and hecto-.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "centi-"?
"centi-" is spelled C-E-N-T-I--. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈsɛn.tə/.
What does "centi-" mean?
As a prefix, "centi-" means: one-hundredth
How do you pronounce "centi-"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "centi-" is /ˈsɛn.tə/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "centi-"?
From French centi- and its etymon Latin centi-, from centum (“hundred”). Doublet of hecato- and hecto-. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list