centurion
noun
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In ancient Rome, a century was approximately equal to a company in the U.S. Army, and a centurion was roughly equivalent to a captain. Centurions play a role in the New Testament; Jesus performs a miracle for a centurion in Capernaum, centurions are present at the crucifixion, and in later years St. Paul is arrested by centurions. According to a writer of the time, centurions were chosen for their size and strength, their abilities at swordplay and at throwing missiles, and the quality of their discipline, which was partly shown by how well their soldiers kept their own armor polished.
Examples of centurion in a Sentence
Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2025
The football landscape has changed 20 years on, and 10 new signings show United wanted to change the squad, but there is evident faith in retaining the nucleus of Farke’s 2025 centurions.
—Beren Cross, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2025
Among the competitors were cowboys, a Roman centurion, and a guy drinking a beer in a moving lawnchair.
—Andy Frye, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
But the true paranoia is saved for the mysterious, primate-like species called ochi, beasts that once again evade a nighttime hunt led by Yuri’s father, ludicrously armor-accessorized like a cosplay centurion, leading a posse of rifle-wielding boys from the area.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Centurion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centurion. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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