epicenter

[ ep-uh-sen-ter ]

/ ˈɛp əˌsɛn tər /

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noun

Also epicentrum. Geology. a point, directly above the true center of disturbance, from which the shock waves of an earthquake apparently radiate.

a focal point, as of activity: Manhattan's Chinatown is the epicenter of the city's Chinese community.

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Also especially British, ep·i·cen·tre .

Origin of epicenter

1885–90; <New Latin epicentrum<Greek epíkentros on the center. See epi-, center

OTHER WORDS FROM epicenter

ep·i·cen·tral, adjective

Words nearby epicenter

epicardium, epicarp, Epicaste, epicedium, epicene, epicenter, epicentre, epicentrum, epic fail, epic hero, epichlorohydrin

How to use epicenter in a sentence

All trips are based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the epicenter of Tornado Alley, a swath of land that runs from central Texas to South Dakota and spawns many of the approximately 1,200 events each year.
My Week Shadowing a Tornado Hunter in Oklahoma|Linda Logan|September 10, 2020|Outside Online
Complicating matters, Texas is the nation’s epicenter for free-standing emergency rooms that are not connected to hospitals.
A Doctor Went to His Own Employer for a COVID-19 Antibody Test. It Cost $10,984.|by Marshall Allen|September 5, 2020|ProPublica
France on Wednesday reported 3,776 new infections, the largest daily increase in three months, while Spain—which has re-emerged as an epicenter of the pandemic on the continent—recorded 3,715 new cases, the most since April 23.
Europe is at a turning point as COVID cases spike, and fragile governments feel the heat|Bernhard Warner|August 20, 2020|Fortune
Miami-Dade and Broward Counties remain the pandemic’s epicenter in Florida, with 25 and 12 percent of the state’s total cases respectively.
Coronavirus exacerbates disparities for Floridians with HIV/AIDS|Michael K. Lavers|August 19, 2020|Washington Blade

Wuhan, once the epicenter of the virus, tested 10 million out of its roughly 11 million population in 19 days in May, using pop-up test sites to take throat swabs and an army of district government staff to contact residents.
Haves and Have-Nots: Pandemic Recovery Explodes China’s Wealth Gap|Daniel Malloy|August 19, 2020|Ozy
Since then, Kisangani has been the epicenter of nearly every rebellion in the Congo.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis|Nina Strochlic|November 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It seemed that I, a staunch feminist, had found myself in the epicenter of macho culture.
The Moms of Monster Jam Drive Trucks, Buck Macho Culture|Eliza Krigman|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Expat bankers are definitely into the drugs/hooker scene, and Wan Chai is the very epicenter,” he told The Daily Beast.
Hong Kong’s High-Flying British Psycho Killer Suspect|Nico Hines, Tom Sykes|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The fact that these tensions are present even at the epicenter of the mindfulness world is telling.
What If Meditation Isn’t Good for You?|Jay Michaelson|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Liberia, the epicenter of the epidemic, was relying on just 50 doctors to care for the entire nation before the outbreak occurred.
Why New York’s Ebola Case Will Hurt Infected Patients Everywhere|Abby Haglage|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The ground motion near the epicenter was so violent that the tops of some trees were snapped off.
Earthquakes|Kaye M. Shedlock
The location of an earthquake is commonly described by the geographic position of its epicenter and by its focal depth.
Earthquakes|Kaye M. Shedlock
The Santa Cruz mountains suffered little damage from the seismic waves, even though they were close to the epicenter.
Earthquakes|Kaye M. Shedlock

Scientific definitions for epicenter

epicenter

[ ĕp′ĭ-sĕn′tər ]

The point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the focus (the point of origin) of an earthquake. The epicenter is usually the location where the greatest damage associated with an earthquake occurs. See Note at earthquake.

epicenter

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Origin of epicenter

OTHER WORDS FROM epicenter

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How to use epicenter in a sentence

Scientific definitions for epicenter