centerpiece

noun

cen·​ter·​piece ˈsen-tər-ˌpēs 

ˈse-nər-

1

: an object occupying a central position

especially : an adornment in the center of a table

2

: one that is of central importance or interest in a larger whole

the centerpiece of a political agenda

Synonyms

• bottom line
• bull's-eye
• core
• crux
• essence
• gist
• heart
• kernel
• keynote
• meat
• meat and potatoes
• net
• nub
• nubbin
• nucleus
• pith
• pivot
• point
• root
• sum

Examples of centerpiece in a Sentence

resolution of the original dispute became the centerpiece of the negotiations

Recent Examples on the Web

The Christmas Table Decoration set lets families create custom holiday displays, while the Poinsettia build offers a unique, everlasting holiday centerpiece. —Bethany Braun-Silva, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024

Today, the wreck is the centerpiece of the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, England. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Nov. 2024

The company was the centerpiece of a panel moderated by Harris-Bridson, who was joined by KINO CEO Daril Fannin, COO Austin Worrell, and Chief Marketing Officer Britt MacRae. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024

The plexiglass sphere is the centerpiece of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, or JUNO, a $300 million facility designed to measure neutrinos, the smallest subatomic particles known to physicists. —Eric Baculinao, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

centerpiece

noun

cen·​ter·​piece ˈsent-ər-ˌpēs 

: a piece put in the center of something and especially a decoration (as flowers) for the center of a table