"Hundred" Once Meant 120

The word we use for "hundred" today carries a hidden numerical secret from the past. Far from always signifying a precise one hundred units, this term, particularly in early Germanic languages, often represented a larger quantity. This historical variation led to the distinction between a "short hundred" of 100 and a "long hundred," which actually amounted to 120. This fascinating linguistic divergence reveals a different approach to counting that was once prevalent.

This expanded value for "hundred" is rooted in the Old Norse word "hundrath," which originally denoted 120. Such a system reflects an older duodecimal, or base-12, counting method. While our modern decimal system is largely based on our ten fingers, a base-12 system offers practical advantages due to the superior divisibility of 12. Unlike 10, which is only evenly divisible by 2 and 5, the number 12 can be divided by 2, 3, 4, and 6 without leaving a remainder. This made it particularly useful for trade and measurements, where goods were often bundled into dozens.

The "long hundred" gradually receded from common usage, largely disappearing by the mid-17th century as Arabic numerals and decimal-based arithmetic became standardized across Europe. However, traces of this duodecimal heritage endure in our daily lives. We still commonly count in dozens and grosses (144, or twelve dozens), and our measurement systems retain elements like 12 inches in a foot. Even our clocks divide the day into two cycles of 12 hours, serving as a subtle reminder of a time when a "hundred" truly meant a generous 120.