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 earthquake's epicenter was located roughly 2 miles south-southeast of Topaz Lake and occurred at a depth of 8 miles.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025
All of the deaths have so far occurred in São Paulo, the epicenter of the crisis.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Born in Paris Paris, the epicenter of the movement, saw the Art Deco style emerge much earlier than 1925.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
The tremor, which lasted approximately 45 seconds, had its epicenter near Rizal City in Nueva Ecija province and was felt across the region.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2025
All of the deaths have so far occurred in São Paulo, the epicenter of the crisis.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Born in Paris Paris, the epicenter of the movement, saw the Art Deco style emerge much earlier than 1925.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2025
The tremor, which lasted approximately 45 seconds, had its epicenter near Rizal City in Nueva Ecija province and was felt across the region.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 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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