center

English Online Dictionary. What means center‎? What does center mean?

English

Alternative forms

• centre (UK, Ireland and all Commonwealth countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.)

Etymology

From Middle English center, centre, from Middle French centre, from Latin centrum, from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron), from κεντεῖν (kenteîn, “to prick, goad”). Doublet of centrum.

• (group theory): In the notation Z(G), the letter Z derives from the German Zentrum (“center”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛn.tɚ/, [ˈsɛɾ̃ɚ]
  • (pin–pen merger) IPA^(key): [ˈsɪɾ̃ɚ]
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɛn.tə(ɹ)/
• Hyphenation: cen‧ter
• Rhymes: -ɛntə(ɹ)
• Homophone: sinner (pin–pen merger, nt-flapping)
• Homophone: centre

Noun

center (plural centers) (American spelling) (Canadian spelling, alternative)

1. The point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference. [from 14th c.]
2. The point in the interior of a sphere that is equidistant from all points on the circumference. [from 14th c.]
3. The middle portion of something; the part well away from the edges.
   1. (obsolete) The innermost point of the Earth, or the Earth itself, as the center or foundation of the Universe; the center or foundation of the Universe abstractly.
4. (geometry) The point on a line that is midway between the ends.
5. (geometry) The point in the interior of any figure of any number of dimensions that has as its coordinates the arithmetic mean of the coordinates of all points on the perimeter of the figure (or of all points in the interior for a center of volume).
6. A place, especially a building or complex, set aside for some specified function or activity.

   shopping center, convention center, civic center, garment center, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Rockefeller Center

7. (politics) The ensemble of moderate or centrist political parties.
8. The venue in which the head of government in a centralized state is situated.
9. A topic that is particularly important in a given context, the element in a subject of cognition, volition or discussion that is perceived as decisive.

10. (sports) A player in the middle of a playing area.
    1. (basketball) The player, generally the tallest, who plays closest to the basket.
    2. (ice hockey) The forward that generally plays between the left wing and right wing and usually takes the faceoffs.
    3. (American football, Canadian football) The person who holds the ball at the beginning of each play.
    4. (netball) A player who can go all over the court, except the shooting circles.
    5. (soccer) A pass played into the centre of the pitch.
    6. (rugby) One of the backs operating in a central area of the pitch, either the inside centre or outside centre.
11. A certain mechanical implement functioning in the middle of a whole apparatus
    2. (architecture) A temporary structure upon which the materials of a vault or arch are supported in position until the work becomes self-supporting.
    3. (engineering) One of the two conical steel pins in a lathe, etc., upon which the work is held, and about which it revolves.
    4. (engineering) A conical recess or indentation in the end of a shaft or other work, to receive the point of a center, on which the work can turn, as in a lathe.
    5. (Australia, New Zealand) The ring in the gambling game two-up in which the spinner operates.
12. (algebra, group theory, ring theory) The set of those elements (of a given algebraic structure) that commute with every other element, usually denoted Z(G). In the case of (semi-)groups, it is required that they commute under the (semi-)group operation; in the case of rings and (Lie) algebras, under mulitplication (i.e. the bracket for Lie algebras)

Synonyms

• (point on a line midway between the ends): midpoint; see also Thesaurus:midpoint
• (point in the interior of figure with mean coordinates): centroid, center of gravity, center of mass
• (middle portion of something): middle, midst

Antonyms

• periphery

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

center (not comparable) (American spelling)

1. Of, at, or related to a center.

Synonyms

• central

Translations

Verb

center (third-person singular simple present centers, present participle centering, simple past and past participle centered) (American spelling)

1. (transitive) To cause (an object) to occupy the center of an area.
   • ????, Matthew Prior, Celia to Damon

     Thy joys are centred all in me alone.

2. (transitive) To cause (some attribute, such as a mood or voltage) to be adjusted to a value which is midway between the extremes.
3. (transitive) To give (something) a central basis.
4. (intransitive) To concentrate on (something), to pay close attention to (something).

5. (engineering) To form a recess or indentation for the reception of a center.

Usage notes

The spelling centre is standard in UK English. In Canada it is typical in proper names, e.g. Toronto Centre for the Arts, but "center" is also commonly used otherwise, e.g. shopping center, center of town. Both spellings can be encountered even in the same text; e.g. in NHL hockey where there are many Canadian and US teams, reference might be made to the "center" forward position and a "centre" where a game is played.

The indirect object of the intransitive verb is given the prepositions on, in, at, or around. At is primary used only in mathematical contexts. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary observes that center around is objected to by some people on the grounds that it is illogical, but states that it is an idiom, and thus that such objections are irrelevant. It offers revolve around as an alternative to center around for those who would avoid the idiom.

Related terms

• central

Translations

Further reading

• “center”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “center”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “center”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• recent, centre, Recent, tenrec, Centre

Spanish

Noun

center m (plural centers)

1. (baseball) center

Swedish

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin centrum. Doublet of centrum.

Noun

center c or n

1. (neuter) a centre; a place where some function or activity occurs

   Synonym: centrum

2. (common, uncountable, politics) the political centre, parties and politicians in between the left and right wings
3. (common, sports) a centre; midplayer of a team

Declension

Related terms

• central
• centrera