epicenter

noun

epi·​cen·​ter ˈe-pi-ˌsen-tər 

1

: the part of the earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake compare hypocenter sense 1

2

: center sense 2a

the epicenter of world finance

epicentral

ˌe-pi-ˈsen-trəl 

adjective

Did you know?

The meaning of epi- in epicenter is "over", so the epicenter of an earthquake lies over the center or "focus" of the quake. Epicenter can also refer to the centers of things that may seem in their own way as powerful—though not as destructive—as earthquakes. Wall Street, for example, might be said to lie at the epicenter of the financial world.

Synonyms of epicenter

• center
• mecca
• hub
• capital

Examples of epicenter in a Sentence

by continually reinventing itself, Las Vegas has managed to remain a national epicenter for entertainment

Recent Examples on the Web

The area around San Pedro Square in San Jose is being called the epicenter for World Cup fans. —John Ramos, CBS News, 14 June 2026

Gallup remains the epicenter of trading posts for tourists traveling along Route 66 looking to pick up a Native American souvenir. —Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

The epicenter was roughly 9 miles east-northeast of Ridgecrest, at a depth of 4 miles. —Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026

In some cases, alerts may arrive just as shaking begins or after an earthquake has already passed, particularly for those closer to the epicenter. —Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin epicentrum, from epi- + Latin centrum center

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for epicenter

• multicenter
• center
• centre
• enter
• renter
• stentor
• dissenter
• frequenter
• indenter
• inventor
• precentor
• preventer

Kids Definition

epicenter

noun

epi·​cen·​ter ˈep-i-ˌsent-ər 

: the part of the earth's surface directly above the starting point of an earthquake