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céntimo

/THEN-tee-mo/ (Spain) or /SEN-tee-mo/ (Latin America)/ˈθentimo/

“céntimo” means “cent” in Spanish (1/100th of a currency unit like the Euro).

cent

Also: penny
NounmA1
SpainPeruLatin America
A single small shiny copper coin resting on a clean wooden surface.

📝 In Action

Este dulce solo cuesta diez céntimos.

A1

This candy only costs ten cents.

No tengo ni un céntimo en mi cartera.

A2

I don't have a single cent in my wallet.

El precio de la gasolina subió un céntimo hoy.

B1

The price of gas went up one cent today.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • centavo (cent (used in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • ni un céntimo – not a single cent
  • céntimo a céntimo – cent by cent / bit by bit
  • por unos céntimos – for a few cents

Idioms & Expressions

  • no valer un céntimo – to be worthless

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: céntimo

Question 1 of 3

If you are in Madrid and buy a stamp for 0.75€, how would you refer to the 75?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
centavo(cent) — Noun
centésimo(hundredth) — Adjective
cien(one hundred) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
últimoíntimo
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'centésimus', meaning 'hundredth'. This refers to the fact that it takes 100 of them to make a full unit of money.

First recorded: 19th century (in its modern monetary sense)

Cognates (Related words)

French: centimeEnglish: cent / centime

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'céntimo' the same as 'centavo'?

Technically, they both mean 'cent,' but 'céntimo' is the word used in Spain (for Euros) and Peru, while 'centavo' is used in most other Spanish-speaking countries.

Does 'céntimo' have an accent mark?

Yes, it always has an accent on the first 'e' (céntimo). This is because the stress is on the third-to-last syllable.

Can I use 'céntimo' to mean a 'small amount' of anything else?

Usually, it is strictly for money. If you want to say 'a little bit' of food or time, you would use 'un poco' or 'un poquito'.