central

[ sen-truhl ]

/ ˈsɛn trəl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR central ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or forming the center: the central hut in the village.

in, at, or near the center: a central position.

constituting something from which other related things proceed or upon which they depend: a central office.

principal; chief; dominant: the play's central character.

Anatomy, Zoology.

of or relating to the central nervous system.
of or relating to the centrum of a vertebra.

Phonetics. (of a speech sound) produced with the tongue articulating neither expressly forward nor in the back part of the mouth, as any of the sounds of lull.

Physics. (of a force) directed to or from a fixed point.

noun

(formerly)

a main telephone exchange.
a telephone operator at such an exchange.

Words nearby central

centner, cento, centr-, centra, centrad, central, central african, central african empire, central african republic, central america, central american

Origin of central

1640–50; < Latin centrālis, equivalent to centr(um) center + -ālis -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR central

4 major, main, key, leading, primary.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR central ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM central

cen·tral·ly, adverb

Definition for central (2 of 3)

central²

[ sen-trahl; Spanish sen-trahl ]

/ sɛnˈtrɑl; Spanish sɛnˈtrɑl /

noun, plural cen·trals, Spanish cen·tra·les [sen-trah-les] /sɛnˈtrɑ lɛs/.

(in Spanish America and the Philippines) a mill for crushing cane into raw sugar.

Origin of central

< American Spanish, special use of Spanish central central¹

Definition for central (3 of 3)

Central

[ sen-truh l ]

/ ˈsɛn trəl /

noun

a region in central Scotland. 1016 sq. mi. (2631 sq. km).

Examples from the Web for central

Offending the other ones has been a central strategy for Paul over the last year.
Rand Paul’s Passive-Aggressive Trolling Campaign|Olivia Nuzzi|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division to force Faubus to admit the students to Central High School.
The ‘No Child’ Rewrite Threatens Your Kids’ Future|Jonah Edelman|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It drains your body of nutrients and vitamins, attacking the central nervous system and leaving you in a dehydrated, hazy state.
History's Craziest Hangover Cures|Justin Jones|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Methamphetamine addiction is central to more than one story.
This Week’s Hot Reads: December 22, 2014|Mythili Rao|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

All other issues—racial, feminine, even environmental—need to fit around this central objective.
Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats|Joel Kotkin|December 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I thought, and the more I thought of it the more clearly I felt that he had touched the central truth.
John Marvel, Assistant|Thomas Nelson Page
The Central Authority in 1907 applies this principle unreservedly to one class only, the wayfarers or vagrants.
English Poor Law Policy|Sidney Webb
Reardon is going to lend me his double breech-loader, central fire, number twelve.
Blue Jackets|George Manville Fenn
In excavating in the central mound, we are assured that small pieces Of mica were found abundantly mixed with the soil.
The Prehistoric World|E. A. Allen
They are either ideal figures, or groups where at least the central figure is idealized and commonly known.
Art Principles|Ernest Govett

British Dictionary definitions for central

central

/ (ˈsɛntrəl) /

adjective

in, at, of, from, containing, or forming the centre of somethingthe central street in a city; the central material of a golf ball

main, principal, or chief; most importantthe central cause of a problem

of or relating to the central nervous system
of or relating to the centrum of a vertebra

of, relating to, or denoting a vowel articulated with the tongue held in an intermediate position halfway between the positions for back and front vowels, as for the a of English soda

(of a force) directed from or towards a point

informal (immediately postpositive) used to describe a place where a specified thing, quality, etc is to be found in abundancenostalgia central

Derived forms of central

centrally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

central

adjective

noun

Words related to central

Words nearby central

Origin of central

SYNONYMS FOR central

OTHER WORDS FROM central

Definition for central (2 of 3)

noun, plural cen·trals, Spanish cen·tra·les [sen-trah-les] /sɛnˈtrɑ lɛs/.

Origin of central

Definition for central (3 of 3)

noun

Examples from the Web for central

British Dictionary definitions for central

adjective

Derived forms of central