central

[ sen-truhl ]

/ ˈsɛn trəl /

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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.

OTHER WORDS FOR central

4 major, main, key, leading, primary.

See synonyms for central on Thesaurus.com

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There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of central

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin centrālis, “centrally located,” equivalent to centr(um) center + -ālis -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM central

cen·tral·ly, adverb

Other definitions 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

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin American Spanish, special use of Spanish central central¹

Other definitions for central (3 of 3)

Central

[ sen-truhl ]

/ ˈsɛn trəl /

noun

a region in central Scotland. 1,016 sq. mi. (2,631 sq. km).

How to use central in a sentence

Technology’s central role in driving economic growth is undeniable.
The 21 best stocks to buy for 2021|Anne Sraders|November 20, 2020|Fortune
Nationals Park was almost the same distance to Syracuse, which is just east of Rochester in central New York.
Nationals have a new Class AAA affiliate in Rochester Red Wings|Jesse Dougherty|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
E-scooters looked to be playing a central role in public transportation until the pandemic jolted the industry in March.
E-scooters are getting computer vision to curb pedestrian collisions|Dalvin Brown|November 19, 2020|Washington Post
Eliminating China’s dependence on foreign suppliers for key technologies like semiconductors is a central focus of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan drafted in Beijing last month.
China wants to make its own chips. 2 failures in 1 week show how hard that will be|claychandler|November 19, 2020|Fortune

A central finding was that indigent defense in Maine is understaffed.
Maine Governor Won’t Fund Reforms for Public Defense Agency Without Accountability|by Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor|November 11, 2020|ProPublica
They don't slap height limits on attractive, centrally located neighborhoods.
New York City, NIMBY Paradise|Megan McArdle|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Instead, he engages a series of questions that nobody is debating: * Should we have a free market or a centrally planned economy?
David Mamet's Right Turn|David Frum|May 9, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Swift quickly realized that Massachusetts was centrally involved.
Misogynist Massachusetts|James Carroll|January 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Ethics, in short, may be regarded as composed of unlike halves, which unite centrally to form a whole.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
This furnace stood in an inner room, centrally, twice the size of the first, unseen from the stone-cloth screen.
Balsamo, The Magician|Alexander Dumas
The pencil holder consists of a stick of wood turned into a handle with a hole bored centrally for a pencil.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
The two halves are then glued together, and a hole is drilled centrally on the division line for a string to pass through.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
Place the sheet metal centrally over the hole in the board and set one end of the round stick in the center of the metal.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various

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

OTHER WORDS FOR central

Origin of central

OTHER WORDS FROM central

Other definitions for central (2 of 3)

Origin of central

Other definitions for central (3 of 3)

Words related to central

How to use central in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for central

Derived forms of central