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 approximately 4 miles north of Big Bear City and occurred at a depth of 4 miles.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Advertisement The quake’s epicenter was shallow, only some 5 km below the surface, which means its energy needed to travel less distance before hitting infrastructure.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Catatumbo remains the epicenter, with more than 42,000 hectares of coca crops —the third-largest concentration in Colombia— yielding over 330 tons annually.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
San Jacinto, located in the Montes de María, is the epicenter of gaita music, famous for the Gaiteros de San Jacinto and the cumbia of Andrés Landero, one of the most beloved accordionists in Latin America.
—Karla Gachet, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2025
Advertisement The quake’s epicenter was shallow, only some 5 km below the surface, which means its energy needed to travel less distance before hitting infrastructure.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Catatumbo remains the epicenter, with more than 42,000 hectares of coca crops —the third-largest concentration in Colombia— yielding over 330 tons annually.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
San Jacinto, located in the Montes de María, is the epicenter of gaita music, famous for the Gaiteros de San Jacinto and the cumbia of Andrés Landero, one of the most beloved accordionists in Latin America.
—Karla Gachet, NPR, 1 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 7 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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