centumvirate means A group of one hundred people, especially (politics) a council of about 100 men who share power or rule, particularly (historical) such a group in ancient Rome. It carries an Arena rating of 1367, earned across 48 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, centumvirate ranks #1,059 of 17,126 for Most Satisfying to Say, #1,219 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words, #2,496 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #2,962 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words.
Why “centumvirate” is a great word
CENTUMVIRATE — [Noun] A deliberative or judicial body of one hundred individuals, most notably the ancient Roman court of civil jurisdiction. From Latin centumvirātus, from centumvirī ("centumvirs, a body of 100 men") + the abstract noun-forming suffix -ātus. First attested in English in 1661. Unlike a "triumvirate," which carves history with the stark decisions of three, or a generic "council," which blurs into any advisory gathering, a centumvirate is a formal architecture of shared, impersonal authority. It is the slow rustle of one hundred togas in a sun-baked forum, the weighted murmur of one hundred voices debating a property line, and the formidable, echoing silence of one hundred judgments being passed—a monument to the belief that justice could be measured out by the century.
Etymology
From Latin centumvirātus, from centumvirī (“centumvirs, centumviri”) + ātus (abstract noun-forming suffix). Equivalent to centumvir + -ate (forms nouns denoting a rank or office, here the group of people performing it).
noun
- A group of one hundred people, especially (politics) a council of about 100 men who share power or rule, particularly (historical) such a group in ancient Rome.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- centumvir 83% match — One of a court of about 100 judges chosen to try civil suits. Under the Empire the court was increased to 180, and met usually in four sections. vs centumvirate →
- centumviral 73% match — Of or pertaining to the centumviri vs centumvirate →
- vigintivirate 70% match — A group of twenty people, especially (politics) a council of twenty men sharing an office or rule and particularly (historical) such an administrative council in ancient Rome. vs centumvirate →
- duodecimvirate 67% match — A group of twelve people, especially (politics) a council of twelve men sharing office or rule, particularly such groups of magistrates in ancient Rome. vs centumvirate →
- quattuorvirate 64% match — A group of four people, especially a council of four men sharing office or rule. vs centumvirate →
- quinquevirate 64% match — An official group of five people, especially a council of five men sharing office or rule. vs centumvirate →
- decemvirate 63% match — A group of ten people, especially (politics) a council of ten men sharing office or power and particularly (historical) the groups of ten men who reformed and codified Roman law circa 450 BCE. vs centumvirate →
- quindecimvirate 63% match — A group of fifteen people, especially (politics) a council of fifteen men sharing office or rule, particularly such groups of magistrates in ancient Rome. vs centumvirate →