name · noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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The period between 1914 and 1991, from the beginning of World War I to the fall of the Soviet Union.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: specifically
Topics: history, human-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Any period of years defined by significant historical events falling within the 20th century (1 January 1901 to 31 December 2000).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: generally
Topics: history, human-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
The concept underlying the proper noun was developed by the Hungarian historian Iván Tibor Berend (born 1930), and the term itself was popularized by the British historian Eric Hobsbawm (1917–2012) in his book The Age of Extremes (1994). Like the corresponding terms long eighteenth century and long nineteenth century, it aims to define historical eras by significant events rather than by the arbitrary beginnings and ends of centuries. The common noun was probably derived from the proper noun.
Across languages
Translations
19 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
سده بيستم كوتاه
— period between 1914 and 1991
Belarusian:
кароткае XX стагоддзе
(karótkaje XX stahóddzje)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Catalan:
curt segle XX
— period between 1914 and 1991
Czech:
krátké 20. století
— period between 1914 and 1991
Czech:
kratší 20. století
— period between 1914 and 1991
Dutch:
korte twintigste eeuw
— period between 1914 and 1991
Finnish:
lyhyt 1900-luku
— period between 1914 and 1991
Finnish:
ensimmäisen maailmansodan ja Neuvostoliiton hajoamisen välinen aika
— period between 1914 and 1991
French:
court XXe siècle
— period between 1914 and 1991
German:
kurzes 20. Jahrhundert
— period between 1914 and 1991
Irish:
20ú hAois Ghearr
— period between 1914 and 1991
Japanese:
短い20世紀
(mijikai nijisseiki)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Korean:
단기 20세기
(dan'gi 20segi)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Macedonian:
кра́ток XX век
(krátok XX vek)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Russian:
коро́ткий XX век
(korótkij XX vek)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Spanish:
corto siglo veinte
— period between 1914 and 1991
Swedish:
korta 1900-talet
— period between 1914 and 1991
Ukrainian:
коро́тке XX столі́ття
(korótke XX stolíttja)
— period between 1914 and 1991
Finnish:
lyhyt 1900-luku
— period of years defined by significant historical events falling within the 20th century