epicenter
Americannoun
-
Geology. Also 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.
-
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
Other Word Forms
- epicentral adjective
Etymology
Origin of epicenter
1885–90; < New Latin epicentrum < Greek epíkentros on the center. See epi-, center
Compare meaning
How does epicenter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The epicenter was located near Mandalay, the country's second-largest city.
From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026
The numbers for the year through June 2025 also show fewer people bailing on America’s tech epicenter, a modest Midwest rebound and rising appeal for small southern metros.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
What’s Next: Many private market lenders are exposed to industries at the epicenter of the AI disruption trade, and some of them have been caught out by falling company values and illiquid loan portfolios.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
The epicenter of L.A.’s Iranian diaspora is known as “Tehrangeles.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026
Sendai, a large city close to the epicenter, was hit by the full force of the quake, but all of Honshu felt it.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
