Turn of the century

1900 sheet music cover reflecting the era's optimisim about a better future through technological progress.

Turn of the century, in its broadest sense, refers to the transition from one century to another. The term is most often used to indicate a non-specific time period either before or after the beginning of a century - for instance, if a statement describes an event as taking place "at the turn of the 18th century", this means it took place somewhere around the year 1700. Where no specific century is stated, the term usually refers to the transition from the 19th century into the 20th century: a novel referring to "turn of the century England," indicates England, circa 1900, though in the future it will more and more often mean the 1990s and 2000s.

See also