centre

American  

[sen-ter] / ˈsɛn tər /

noun

Chiefly British.

centred, centring

1. center.

---

centre ¹ British  

/ ˈsɛntə /

noun

1. geometry

   1. the midpoint of any line or figure, esp the point within a circle or sphere that is equidistant from any point on the circumference or surface

   2. the point within a body through which a specified force may be considered to act, such as the centre of gravity

2. the point, axis, or pivot about which a body rotates

3. a point, area, or part that is approximately in the middle of a larger area or volume

4. a place at which some specified activity is concentrated

   a shopping centre

5. a person or thing that is a focus of interest

6. a place of activity or influence

   a centre of power

7. a person, group, policy, or thing in the middle

8. (usually capital) politics

   1. a political party or group favouring moderation, esp the moderate members of a legislative assembly

   2. ( as modifier )

      a Centre-Left alliance

9. physiol any part of the central nervous system that regulates a specific function

   respiratory centre

10. a bar with a conical point upon which a workpiece or part may be turned or ground

11. a punch mark or small conical hole in a part to be drilled, which enables the point of the drill to be located accurately

12. sport

    1. a player who plays in the middle of the forward line

    2. the act or an instance of passing the ball from a wing to the middle of the field, court, etc

13. basketball

    1. the position of a player who jumps for the ball at the start of play

    2. the player in this position

14. archery

    1. the ring around the bull's eye

    2. a shot that hits this ring

---

verb

1. to move towards, mark, put, or be at a centre

2. (tr) to focus or bring together

   to centre one's thoughts

3. to have as a main point of view or theme

   the novel centred on crime

4. (tr) to adjust or locate (a workpiece or part) using a centre

5. (intr; foll by on or round) to have as a centre

6. (tr) sport to pass (the ball) into the middle of the field or court

Centre ² British  

noun

1. the sparsely inhabited central region of Australia

2. a region of central France: generally low-lying; drained chiefly by the Rivers Loire, Loir, and Cher

---

Etymology

Origin of centre

C14: from Latin centrum the stationary point of a compass, from Greek kentron needle, from kentein to prick

Example Sentences

Gould points to teams at Goonhilly Earth Station, the satellite communications centre that supported the Artemis mission, as proof that "space work was not just something that happens in America".

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Colin Keillor, 70, had arrived by train from Arbroath to see a show and was cutting through the shopping centre.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

The reported attack had caused concern in Epsom, and riot police were deployed in the town centre on Wednesday evening when protesters gathered to demand police release descriptions of the suspects.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

But relief is finally a step closer thanks to plans to install escalators in the shopping centre between the railway station to Union Street.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

They could then have continued to claim that the earth stands still at the centre of the universe.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton