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
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.
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 situated approximately 10 miles west of Johannesburg, at a depth of 4 miles.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Colombia has traditionally been the epicenter of coca cultivation in South America.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025
The epicenter of the earthquake, one of the strongest recorded by modern seismic instruments, according to the Earth Observatory, was about 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of the volcano.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The epicenter was located in the Ghorashal area of the Narsingdi district, about 16 miles from the capital city of Dhaka, according to the Associated Press, which reported the death toll currently sits at eight people.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 23 Nov. 2025
Colombia has traditionally been the epicenter of coca cultivation in South America.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025
The epicenter of the earthquake, one of the strongest recorded by modern seismic instruments, according to the Earth Observatory, was about 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of the volcano.
—Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
The epicenter was located in the Ghorashal area of the Narsingdi district, about 16 miles from the capital city of Dhaka, according to the Associated Press, which reported the death toll currently sits at eight people.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
Cite this Entry
“Epicenter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epicenter. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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