center
Pluralcenters
Verbcenters, centering, centered
UK spellingcentre
Pluralcenters
Formscenters, centering, centered
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- 4To focus on one main thing, or to build something around it.
Like a story that keeps coming back to one main idea.
The whole talk centered on saving water.
Their plans center on the new school.
UsageSay center on or center around something.
Similarfocus, revolve, hinge, concentrate
Note
- 5To put or set something in the middle of a space or range.
Like moving a clock to the exact middle of a shelf.
Please center the picture on the wall.
She centered the vase on the table before the guests arrived.
Note
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- 8In basketball, the player, usually the tallest, who plays nearest the basket.
Like the tallest kid standing closest to the hoop.
Their center blocked three shots in the first half.
The coach told the center to guard the basket.
UsageYou can say she plays center.
Note
- 9In ice hockey, the forward who plays in the middle and usually takes the faceoffs.
Like the middle player who starts the play by winning the puck.
The center won the faceoff and passed to the wing.
Their best center scored twice in the third period.
Note
- 10In some team sports, a player who plays in the middle of the field or court.
She plays center on her netball team, so she runs a lot.
The two centers kept bumping into each other in the middle of the field.
Note
- 11The group of political parties with moderate views, not far left or right.
Like the middle ground between two opposing teams.
After the election, the center held the most seats.
Voters in the middle often support the center.
UsageSay the center in politics.
Note
- 12The place where a country's main leaders and government work and make decisions.
Like the headquarters where all the big decisions get made.
The capital city became the center of all national power.
Every major law is decided at the center, then sent out to the regions.
Similarcapital
Oppositeperiphery
Note
Less common meanings
- 13In football, the player who holds the ball at the start of each play.
Like the player who begins each play by passing the ball back.
The center snapped the ball to the quarterback.
Their center protected the passer all game.
Note
- 14In old belief, the Earth or its innermost point, seen as the fixed middle of the whole universe.
Leo. No: if I mistake In those Foundations which I build upon, The Centre is not bigge enough to beare A Schoole-Boyes Top.
c. 1610, William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”Here, Centre means the Earth, seen as the fixed middle of the universe.Note
- 15In soccer, a pass kicked into the middle of the field toward the goal.
- 16The middle point of a shape, found by averaging the positions of all the points in it.
- 17A temporary support that holds an arch or vault in place until it can stand on its own.
- 18A pointed steel pin on a lathe that holds the work and lets it spin.
- 19A cone-shaped hole drilled in the end of a shaft so it can sit on a lathe pin and turn.
- 20To drill a cone-shaped hole in the end of a shaft so it can sit on a lathe pin.
- 21In math, the elements of a group or ring that combine with every other element the same way in either order.
- 22In the game two-up, the ring where the player tosses the coins.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
It came from Latin centrum, which came from Greek kéntron, meaning a sharp point used to prick or goad.
Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts
- Center derives ultimately from Latin centrum. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin centrum came from Greek kéntron. en.wiktionary.org
- Greek kéntron meant a sharp point or an implement used to goad. en.wiktionary.org