centerpiece

[sen-ter-pees]

noun

1. an ornamental object used in a central position, especially on the center of a dining-room table.

2. the central or outstanding point or feature.

   The centerpiece of the evening was a play put on by the employees.

Word History and Origins

Origin of centerpiece¹

First recorded in 1830–40; center + piece

Example Sentences

The re-created annex, the show’s centerpiece, should also be its emotional heart.

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They’re making field days the centerpiece of birthday celebrations and bachelorette parties.

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They are eager to make the faith the centerpiece of their lives, led by clergy steeped in the Gospel and sacred tradition.

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It makes an effortless centerpiece for a lazy Sunday brunch, the kind of thing that invites everyone to reach in with their hands.

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The 10th anniversary of Miranda’s Tony Award-winning, culturally transformative musical “Hamilton,” with the duel as its centerpiece, has occasioned a new wave of critical hosannas.

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Related Words

• climax 
• focal point