epicentre

/ ˈɛpɪˌsɛntə /

noun

1. the point on the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake or underground nuclear explosion Compare focus
2. informal.
   the absolute centre of something

   the epicentre of world sprinting

Derived Forms

• ˌepiˈcentral, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of epicentre¹

C19: from New Latin epicentrum, from Greek epikentros over the centre, from epi- + kentron needle; see centre

Example Sentences

The sounds are rarely heard by them more than a few miles from the epicentre.

From Project Gutenberg

At the epicentre, the angle of emergence is a right-angle; at a great distance from the epicentre, it is nearly zero.

From Project Gutenberg

Naples lies sixty-nine miles from the north-west epicentre, and here more accurate observations could be made.

From Project Gutenberg

These are the determination of the double epicentre, and the measurement of the velocity with which the earth-waves travelled.

From Project Gutenberg

On the opposite side of the epicentre, the waves meet the Sierra de Ronda obliquely.

From Project Gutenberg