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 epicenter was about 6 miles south of Johnsville, at a depth of 8 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Congo has begun vaccinating front-line healthcare workers in Bunia, the epicenter of the world’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreak. — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

While Oxford, Mississippi is the epicenter of the college football world this weekend, with Ole Miss set to host its former head coach Lane Kiffin and LSU on Saturday night, the town is also home to a defending national champion in football. — Patricia Babcock McGraw Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026

For example, in Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the 2025 West Texas outbreak, kindergarteners’ measles vaccination rate was 82 percent compared with about 93 percent nationally. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 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