hub

American  

[huhb] / hʌb /

noun

1. the central part of a wheel, as that part into which the spokes are inserted.

2. the central part or axle end from which blades or spokelike parts radiate on various devices, as on a fan or propeller.

3. a center around which other things revolve or from which they radiate; a focus of activity, authority, commerce, transportation, etc..

   Chicago is a railroad hub.

   Synonyms:

   heart, pivot, core

4. the Hub, Boston, Massachusetts (used as a nickname).

5. the peg or hob used as a target in quoits and similar games.

6. any one of the holes in an electrical panel, into which connections may be plugged.

7. Computers. a device connecting others in a network and enabling communication among them by receiving data packets from any of the devices and broadcasting them to every device on the network irrespective of the intended destination: used primarily in small local area networks.

8. Coining. a design of hardened steel in relief, used as a punch in making a die.

9. Surveying. a stake bearing a tack used to mark a theodolite position.

10. Metalworking. a die forced into a metal blank.

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verb (used with object)

hubbed, hubbing

1. Metalworking. to stamp (a metal blank) with a hub.

hub British  

/ hʌb /

noun

1. the central portion of a wheel, propeller, fan, etc, through which the axle passes

2. the focal point

3. computing a device for connecting computers in a network

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Etymology

Origin of hub

First recorded in 1505–15; perhaps variant of hob ¹

Explanation

A hub is the center of a wheel or the center of some kind of activity. If all of an airline's flights go through Atlanta, you'd say the southern city is their hub. You know how a lot of activity is called a hubbub? That makes sense when you consider that a hub, in a wheel or otherwise, is the center of whatever's going on. Southern California has long been a hub of the computer industry, and Detroit used to be the hub of the auto industry. Busy airports like the ones in Chicago and Atlanta are called hubs. Any hub is important, because it's right in the middle of all the action.

Example Sentences

U.S. and other government records suggest C Street remains a hub for international lobbying to this day.

From Salon • May 29, 2026

Infleqtion separately announced Thursday that it was significantly scaling up its presence in the U.K. with the launch of a research and manufacturing hub, which is slated to open later this year.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

The Luna Luster is waiting with its load in the waters off Rizhao, China, a Chinese oil-transportation hub.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the wealthy finance hub to resolve housing woes that are the result of decades of pervasive inequality, an acute housing shortage and eye-watering rents.

From Barron's • May 28, 2026

Mews had a circular central hub with eight wings radiating in each direction so it looked like a compass rose.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• nerve center