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epicenter

[ ep-uh-sen-ter ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Also Geology. a point, directly above the true center of disturbance, from which the shock waves of an earthquake apparently radiate.
a focal point, as of activity:
Manhattan's Chinatown is the epicenter of the city's Chinese community.

epicenter

The point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the focus (the point of origin) of an earthquake. The epicenter is usually the location where the greatest damage associated with an earthquake occurs.
See Note at earthquake

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Other Word Forms

��i·��t�� adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of epicenter¹

1885–90; < New Latin epicentrum < Greek ��í��Գٰ��ǲ� on the center. See epi-, center

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Compare Meanings

How does epicenter compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

hypocenter vs. epicenter

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“Los Angeles is the epicenter of sports, culture and entertainment, and every venue selected for the 2028 Games will provide athletes and fans the best possible experience.”

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“It really has been the epicenter of some natural disasters,” Boiano said.

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Creating a second epicenter in Woodland Hills allows the Rams to significantly increase the size of their footprint in the market.

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“I do think that we’re the epicenter of baseball,” he said.

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The virus then forced my wife Elvira and I to live apart from each other for the next 18 months — I in New York City, she in Italy, the two worldwide epicenters.

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Related Words

epicene epicentre

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