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
Minor injuries were reported on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, near the quake’s epicenter.
—
Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 30 July 2025
New Zealand is in the South Pacific and about 6,000 miles (9,600 kilometers) from the epicenter.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
Closer to the epicenter, the quake caused wave heights that were several times larger than what the Bay Area experienced along the sparsely populated Russian coast.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 30 July 2025
The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is dubbed as the epicenter of fun on Condado Beach.
—Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 30 July 2025
New Zealand is in the South Pacific and about 6,000 miles (9,600 kilometers) from the epicenter.
—Mari Yamaguchi, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
Closer to the epicenter, the quake caused wave heights that were several times larger than what the Bay Area experienced along the sparsely populated Russian coast.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 30 July 2025
The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is dubbed as the epicenter of fun on Condado Beach.
—Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 28 July 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 6 Aug. 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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