epicenter

noun

epi·​cen·​ter ˈe-pi-ˌsen-tər 

1

: the part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake compare hypocenter sense 1

2

: center sense 2a

the epicenter of world finance

epicentral

ˌe-pi-ˈsen-trəl 

adjective

Did you know?

The meaning of epi- in epicenter is "over", so the epicenter of an earthquake lies over the center or "focus" of the quake. Epicenter can also refer to the centers of things that may seem in their own way as powerful—though not as destructive—as earthquakes. Wall Street, for example, might be said to lie at the epicenter of the financial world.

Synonyms

• axis
• base
• capital
• center
• central
• core
• cynosure
• eye
• focus
• ground zero
• heart
• hub
• locus
• mecca
• navel
• nerve center
• nexus
• nucleus
• omphalos
• seat

Examples of epicenter in a Sentence

by continually reinventing itself, Las Vegas has managed to remain a national epicenter for entertainment

Recent Examples on the Web

Starting next week, Saul will be in the fossil fuel epicenter of West Texas, reporting on how a wave of technological advances and mergers have transformed the region — and what the Trump transition will mean for the nation’s nearly 2 million fossil fuel workers. —Saul Elbein, The Hill, 11 Dec. 2024

The effects of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck California last week extended more than 500 miles from the epicenter near the town of Petrolia to Devils Hole in Death Valley National Park, home of endangered Devils Hole Pupfish, the National Park Service (NPS) said. —Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024

Beckner tells me that his favorite weekly event is the weekly mountain-bike group ride, the epicenter of Davis’s social scene. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 9 Dec. 2024

There are no islands or buoys between the epicenter and the land. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin epicentrum, from epi- + Latin centrum center

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

epicenter

noun

epi·​cen·​ter ˈep-i-ˌsent-ər 

: the part of the earth's surface directly above the starting point of an earthquake