Writing Centuries
Century formatting is a style choice rather than universal grammar. The Australian Government Style Manual uses numeral ordinals such as “18th century,” keeps “century” lowercase, and hyphenates the expression when it functions as a compound modifier, as in “19th-century writer.”
In Australian Government style, write “18th century” and “19th-century writer”: numeral ordinal, lowercase “century,” and a hyphen when the phrase modifies a noun.
Key details
Important caveats
Modifier Boundary
Hyphenate a century expression when it forms a compound modifier before a noun. Other publishers may choose different number treatment, so follow the controlling style.
Further guidance
Number And Case
The cited style uses numerals with ordinal suffixes and keeps “century” lowercase in generic references.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Dates and time — Australian Government Style Manual (opens in a new tab)Australian Government Style Manual · Australian Government guidance for day–month–year dates, ordinal dates, decades, centuries, time zones, and en-dash spacing in date/time spans