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centaine

about a hundred, a hundred or so

noun sahn-TEN Less Common

Usage Note

Centaine is a collective noun expressing an approximate quantity of around one hundred — une centaine de personnes means 'about a hundred people'. The plural des centaines de means 'hundreds of'. It differs from cent (exactly 100) by carrying this sense of approximation.

Examples

"Une centaine de personnes attendaient dehors."

Natural Translation

About a hundred people were waiting outside.

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