We have all said phrases such as “I’ve been working on this for decades!” or “This project could take centuries!”
And while we use these terms relatively frequently, have you ever stopped to think about what they actually mean? How Long Is a Decade and a Century? Well, I am assuming you are here because you have!
So, let us take a look at just how long different durations of time are.
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When Were The Terms Decade And Century First Used?
The term “decade” was first coined in the late 1500s, while the term “century” has been around since the early 1300s. The records for both of these terms date back to the early days of their usage, with the first recorded use of “decade” being in 1577, while it was 1387 for “century.” So, they are far from modern-day terms!
How Long Is A Decade?
Well, currently, we define a decade as ten years. This is the shortest possible definition of a decade, as there are ten years in between any two consecutive years. An example is from the start of 2010 until the end of 2019.
This usage of the term became common in the early 1900s and is the definition that is most widely used today. ‘Decade’ can be used to describe any 10-year period; however, it is commonly used to describe periods such as the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
How Long Is A Century?
While a century can be defined as one hundred years, this is a rather arbitrary definition. A more accurate definition of a century would be a period of one hundred years that is part of a larger cycle or sequence. For example, the 20th century was the period of time from 1901 to 2000. But if you use it to describe any 100-year period, you are technically correct.
When considering how long are different lengths of time, it’s helpful to think about what we have accomplished in that amount of time. For example, a decade is the amount of time it takes for a person to go from being a child to being a teenager. A century is the amount of time it takes for a person to go from being born to dying.
How Many Decades are in A Century?
There are ten decades in a century. This is because there are one hundred years in a century and ten years in a decade, 100/10 = 10.
How many Seconds are in a Century?
There are 3,155,760,000 seconds in a century. In minutes this is 52,560,000. Dividing by 60, we get 87,600 hours. There are also 24 hours in a day, so there are 3,650 days in a century.
What do A.C. and B.C. stand for?
A.C. stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for “in the year of our Lord.” This is the system that we use to count the years since Jesus Christ was born. B.C. stands for Before Christ. So, for example, the year 1 A.D. is the year that Jesus Christ was born, and the year 1 B.C. is the year before Jesus Christ was born.
What is a Millennium?
A millennium is a period of time that is one thousand years long. So, for example, the years 1000 to 2000 are part of the first millennium A.D., and the years 2000 to 3000 are part of the second millennium A.D.
How Many Centuries Have There Been?
Since the year 1 A.D., there have been 20 centuries. The 21st century began on January 1st, 2001, and will end on December 31, 2100.
Are There Any Other Calendars Used Around The World?
Next, in my feature on How Long Is A Decade And A Century, let’s take a look at the other calendars in use around the world. The most common one used is the Gregorian calendar which is the one we use in the United States.
Gregorian Calendar
This calendar was first introduced in 1582 and is named after Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it. It contains a leap year every four years. Before this, people in Europe used the Julian calendar, which was first introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.
Chinese Calendar
This is another one that is used by a large number of people around the world. This is based on the cycles of the moon and has a number of different years. The most common way of referring to years in the Chinese calendar is by using the 60-year cycle. So, for example, the year 2021 was the year of the Ox, and 2023 is the year of the Tiger.
Islamic/Hijri Calendar
Another calendar that is used across the world predominately in Islam. The most common way of referring to years in the Islamic calendar is by using the lunar cycle. So, for example, the year 2021 is the year 1442, and the year 2023 will be the year 1443 in the Islamic calendar.
The Buddhist calendar
This is the final one we will look at. The cycle is used by many different Buddhist countries around the world. The most common way of referring to years in the Buddhist calendar is by also using the 60-year cycle. So, for example, the year 2021 is the year 2561.
Make The Most Of Your Working Time!
Time is money! And when it comes to working, it’s especially apt! So, if you’re curious, check out How Many Hours In A Year – How Many Work Hours or 60K A year Is How An Hour, as well as How Many Seconds In A Day, and even How Long Is 10,000 Hours, which refers to the 10,000-hour-rule from Malcolm Gladwell’s book, The Outliers and how mastering anything takes just about that!
Touching more on employment, take a look at what the difference is between Part Time And Full Time Hours or the Best Flexible Jobs That Let You Set Your Own Hours, along with 20 Part Time Jobs That Pay More Than 20 Per Hour and 15 Part Time Jobs That Pay More Than 40 Per Hour in 2023.
A few more of our informative guides on working hours include How Many Hours Is Part Time In Texas, what are the Starbucks Shift Hours, what are the Aldi Hours, and finally, How To Calculate Hours Worked to help stay on top of your savings.
How Long Is A Decade And A Century? – Final Thoughts?
Well, A decade is ten years, a century is one hundred years, and a millennium is one thousand years. Now when you use the terms in your everyday life, you will have a better understanding of what exactly they mean!
As they say.. only time will tell!