in former centuries

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "in former centuries" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to time periods that occurred in the past, specifically in centuries prior to the current one. Example: "In former centuries, many societies relied heavily on agriculture for their sustenance."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedia Britannica

Chemistry Central Journal

The New York Times

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Abstractions were also endowed with a more urgent ideological content than in former centuries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Ergotamine was infamous in former centuries for causing ergotism and miscarriages when ingested through infected bread [23].

Chemistry Central Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The Harperley Hall duplex created by Madonna Ciccone way back in a former century, when she and Sean Penn were a hot item and she was very much a Material Girl on the rise in the matter of shrewd real estate acquisitions, sold for $16 million in the most expensive sale of the week, according to city records.

The New York Times

In the former century, repeated episodes of insulin-induced hypoglycemic coma for periods ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours for the treatment of opiate addiction and schizophrenia have been found to have minimal long-term effects and a mortality of less than 1% [ 29].

Critical Care

In the windy white coastal city of Essaouira, the similarly named L'Heure Bleue opened in 2004 in a former 19th-century palace after a three-year renovation in which artisans from all over the country restored the tiles, pillars and intricate woodwork and filled the rooms with silk couches and carpets in a mix of oriental, African, colonial English and Portuguese styles.

Forbes

Most still consider the Four Seasons, opened in 1996 in a former 19th-century prison next to the Hagia Sophia, the city's best hotel.

Forbes

The Eagle in its current location West 28th Street between Tenth and 11th Avenues opened in 2001, in a former 19th-century stable.

Vice

The Batha Museum, located in Fès and housed in a former 19th-century royal residence, specializes in historical Moroccan art and has an excellent collection of native ceramics.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Updated at 3.31pm GMT 3.18pm GMT Artist Francesca DiMattio adjusts the flowers that decorate the sculpture 'Totem' for her first solo exhibition in the UK which is being held in a former 19th century church in London.

The Guardian

IF YOU GO In former iterations, the 19th-century limestone building housing the historic Hotel Meyrick (Eyre Square; 353-91-564-041; hotelmeyrick.ie) has been host to Prince Louis Napoleon, Charles Lindbergh and John Wayne.

The New York Times - Travel

The painting, along with a handful of other important canvases by Seville artists, was promptly put on display in the freshly inaugurated Centro Velázquez, an art gallery encased in a former 17th-century hospice  in the city's historic Santa Cruz district.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "in former centuries" to provide historical context or contrast past practices with current ones. Ensure it's clear which centuries you're referring to, or that the context provides sufficient clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "in former centuries" when referring to events within the last century. The phrase implies a more distant past, so use alternatives like "in the past" or "previously" for more recent events.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "in former centuries" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by specifying the time frame in which an action or state occurred. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "in former centuries" is a grammatically sound prepositional phrase used to denote events or conditions of the distant past. While Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, its frequency is rare and primarily found in encyclopedic, news, and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the intended historical scope, avoiding its use for more recent events. Alternative phrases like "in past centuries" or "in earlier centuries" may offer slight variations in tone, while maintaining semantic accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in past centuries

Replaces "former" with "past", slightly altering the tone but retaining the core meaning.

in earlier centuries

Substitutes "former" with "earlier" to indicate a previous time period.

in previous centuries

Replaces "former" with "previous", indicating time periods that preceded the current one.

in bygone eras

Uses "bygone eras" to replace "former centuries", evoking a sense of the distant past.

in olden times

Replaces "former centuries" with a more general term for the past.

in days of old

Similar to "in olden times", it refers to the past in a more general, often romanticized way.

in years gone by

Emphasizes the passing of time, similar to "in former centuries" but with a slightly different focus.

in antiquity

Refers to ancient times, especially before the Middle Ages.

in generations past

Focuses on past generations rather than specific centuries.

in prior decades

Shifts the timeframe to decades instead of centuries, making it more recent.

FAQs

What's a similar phrase to "in former centuries"?

You can use phrases like "in past centuries", "in earlier centuries", or "in bygone eras" depending on the desired tone and context.

How do I properly use "in former centuries" in a sentence?

The phrase "in former centuries" is typically used to set a historical context. For example, "In former centuries, medicine relied heavily on herbal remedies."

Is it appropriate to use "in former centuries" when discussing the 1900s?

No, "in former centuries" generally refers to periods before the 20th century. For events in the 1900s, use phrases like "in the last century" or "in the 20th century".

What is the difference between "in former centuries" and "in recent centuries"?

"In former centuries" refers to times long ago, while "in recent centuries" refers to the more immediate past, such as the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.