{{Short description|Fraction currency in several Francophone countries}}{{More citations needed|date=November 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Coin image box 1 double | header = 20 French Centime with Marianne on Obverse. | image = File:20 Centimes (France).jpg | caption_left = '''Obverse''': Marianne wearing the Phrygian cap of liberty. | caption_right = '''Reverse''': Face value and French motto: "Liberté, égalité, fraternité". | width = 300 | footer = This coin was minted from 1962 to 2001. | position = right | margin = 0 }} thumb|right|10 French centimes (1963) thumb|right|10 French centimes (1963) A '''centime''' (from {{langx|la|centesimus}}) is a fractional monetary unit.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Definition of 'centime' |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/centime |access-date=2025-11-01 |website=Collins |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers}}</ref> It equals one-hundredth of a franc in Switzerland, one-hundredth of a dinar in Algeria, and one-hundredth of a dirham in Morocco.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=A Dictionary of Business and Management |date=2016 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199684984 |editor-last=Law |editor-first=Jonathan |edition=6th |chapter=centime |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199684984.001.0001}}</ref> It was formerly worth one-hundredth of a franc in other Francophone countries, such as Belgium and France, until the adoption of the euro.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />
In France, the usage of ''centime'' goes back to the introduction of the decimal monetary system under Napoleon. This system aimed at replacing non-decimal fractions of older coins. A five-centime coin was known as a ''sou'', i.e. a solidus or shilling.
In Francophone Canada {{frac|1|100}} of a Canadian dollar is officially known as a ''cent'' (pronounced /sɛnt/) in both English and French. However, in practice, the form of ''cenne'' (pronounced /sɛn/) has completely replaced the official ''cent''. Spoken and written use of the official form ''cent'' in Francophone Canada is exceptionally uncommon. In the Canadian French vernacular ''sou'', ''sou noir'' ({{Lang|fr|noir}} means "black" in French), ''cenne'', and ''cenne noire'' are all widely known, used, and accepted monikers when referring to either {{frac|1|100}} of a Canadian dollar or the 1¢ coin (colloquially known as a "penny" in North American English).
==Subdivision of euro== In the European community, ''cent'' is the official name for one hundredth of a euro. However, in French-speaking countries, the word ''centime ''is the preferred term. The Superior Council of the French language of Belgium recommended in 2001 the use of ''centime'', since ''cent'' is also the French word for "hundred". An analogous decision was published in the ''Journal officiel'' in France (2 December 1997).
In Morocco, dirhams are divided into 100 ''centime''s and one may find prices in the country quoted in ''centime''s rather than in dirhams. Sometimes ''centime''s are known as francs or, in former Spanish areas, pesetas.
==Usage== A centime is one-hundredth of the following basic monetary units: <!-- (This is messed up; please fix or delete ...) {{Coin image box 1 double | header = 5 Ethiopian santims | image = | caption_left = '''Obverse''': Ethiopian lion head, year and country name. | caption_right = '''Reverse''': Vega bond Hunter and face value. | width = 250 | footer = 5 santims were made of two metals, brass (1969 only) and steel coated with nickel (1996-). This particular coin is made of brass (1969). Coins made of steel are magnetic and the lion head is bigger. | position = right | margin = 0 }} (This is messed up; please fix or delete ...) -->
===Current=== [[File:Ethiopia, 25 centimes 1944, Selassie I.jpg|thumb|right|Ethiopia, 25 centimes 1944]] * Algerian dinar * Burundian franc * CFP franc * CFA franc * Comorian franc * Congolese franc * Djiboutian franc * Ethiopian birr (as santim) * Guinean franc * Haitian gourde * Moroccan dirham * Rwandan franc * Swiss franc (by French and English speakers only; Italian speakers use centesimo. See Rappen)
===Obsolete=== [[File:Centim 1797-98, France, Première République.jpg|thumb|right|Centime 1797–98, French First Republic. First year of release.]] {{Incomplete list|date=August 2008}} * Algerian franc * Belgian franc (Dutch: {{lang|nl|centiem}}) * Cambodian franc * French Camerounian franc * French Guianan franc * French franc * Guadeloupe franc * Katangese franc * Latvian lats (Latvian: santīms) * Luxembourgish franc * Malagasy franc * Malian franc * Martinique franc * Monegasque franc * Moroccan franc * New Hebrides franc * Réunion franc * Spanish Peseta * Tunisian franc * Westphalian frank
==References== {{Portal|Money|Numismatics}} {{Reflist}}
{{Cent (currency)}}
Category:Marianne Category:Cent (currency)