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 approximately 4 miles east-southeast of Cloverdale, at a depth of 4 miles. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2026

The epicenter was about 12 miles south of the city of Kumamoto, which has a population of about 700,000. — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 29 July 2026

According to the agency, the epicenter was about five miles east-southeast of Cloverdale, around 19 miles from Clearlake and 22 miles from Santa Rosa. — Quakebot july 28, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

In New England, which has emerged as the country’s epicenter of offshore wind, advocates and climate researchers have argued the technology is crucial to reducing high costs and improving reliability. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 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