Centre

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsɛntə/

Definitions

1. The point that is equidistant from all boundaries in a given space is regarded as the focal area of activity or interest where importance is centralized
2. A location defined by its equal distance from surrounding points can be seen as the primary hub of focus or significance within an area
3. The exact midpoint of a shape or object that is equally spaced from all edges ; a location considered the main place for activity or importance

Etymology: The Greek word "kéntron" originally meant a sharp point, the thing used to prick or goad. It came from "kenteîn," "to prick," so the earliest sense was a stabbing tool, not a middle. Greek geometers later applied it to the fixed point of a compass, the pin that a circle is drawn around, and from there it came to mean the point equally distant from every edge of a circle. The Latin "centrum" took over that geometric sense and passed it to Middle French as "centre," which entered English in Middle English. English kept the spelling "center" in American usage and "centre" in British usage, a split that is still visible on any map of the two varieties. The word has a close relative in "centrum," which was borrowed directly from Greek into Latin and gave English a doublet, a second form of the same word from a different route. Both trace back to the same Greek verb about pricking, so the idea of the middle began with a sharp point.

Synonyms: middle, core, heart

Antonyms: periphery, edge, boundary