noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/ˈɛpɪˌsɛntɚ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɛpɪˌsɛntə/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The point on the land or water surface directly above the focus, or hypocentre, of an earthquake.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The point on the surface of the earth directly above an underground explosion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ground zero
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The focal point of any activity, especially if dangerous or destructive.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, proscribed
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The geographical area in which an ongoing disaster, illness, crisis, or other destructive event is currently most severe.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, proscribed
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
Of an earthquake: to have its epicentre (at a specified location).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: epicenter
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: geographic point, geographical point
History
Etymology
From epi- (“over, on top”) + centre, from Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí, “on”) + κέντρον (kéntron, “centre”). Sense of “center of an activity (particularly a disaster)” (1908) by generalization from earthquakes, possibly influenced by epidemic.
Across languages
Translations
69 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
episentrum
— point above earthquake
Arabic:
مَرْكَز
(markaz)
— point above earthquake
Arabic:
مَرْكَز اَلزِّلْزَال
(markaz az-zilzāl)
— point above earthquake
Armenian:
էպիկենտրոն
(ēpikentron)
— point above earthquake
Asturian:
epicentru
— point above earthquake
Belarusian:
эпіцэ́нтр
(epicéntr)
— point above earthquake
Breton:
epikreizenn
— point above earthquake
Bulgarian:
епице́нтър
(epicéntǎr)
— point above earthquake
Catalan:
epicentre
— point above earthquake
Chinese Mandarin:
震央
(zhènyāng)
— point above earthquake
Chinese Mandarin:
震中
(zhènzhōng)
— point above earthquake
Chinese Mandarin:
震中心
(zhènzhōngxīn)
— point above earthquake
Czech:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Danish:
epicenter
— point above earthquake
Dutch:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Esperanto:
surcentro
— point above earthquake
Estonian:
epitsenter
— point above earthquake
Finnish:
episentrumi
— point above earthquake
Finnish:
episentri
— point above earthquake
French:
épicentre
— point above earthquake
Galician:
epicentro
— point above earthquake
German:
Epizentrum
— point above earthquake
Greek:
επίκεντρο
(epíkentro)
— point above earthquake
Hindi:
उपरिकेंद्र
(uprikendra)
— point above earthquake
Hungarian:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Icelandic:
skjálftamiðja
— point above earthquake
Indonesian:
episenter
— point above earthquake
Indonesian:
episentrum
— point above earthquake
Irish:
eipealár
— point above earthquake
Italian:
epicentro
— point above earthquake
Japanese:
震源地
(shingenchi)
— point above earthquake
Japanese:
震央
(shin'ō)
— point above earthquake
Japanese:
震源
(shingen)
— point above earthquake
Korean:
진앙
(jinang)
— point above earthquake
Latvian:
epicentrs
— point above earthquake
Lithuanian:
epicentras
— point above earthquake
Low German:
epizentrum
— point above earthquake
Malay:
epipusat
— point above earthquake
Malay:
pusat gempa
— point above earthquake
Norwegian:
episenter
— point above earthquake
Oromo:
epicenter
— point above earthquake
Polish:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Portuguese:
epicentro
— point above earthquake
Russian:
эпице́нтр
(epicéntr)
— point above earthquake
Serbo-Croatian:
епицентар
— point above earthquake
Serbo-Croatian:
epicentar
— point above earthquake
Slovak:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Slovene:
epicenter
— point above earthquake
Spanish:
epicentro
— point above earthquake
Swedish:
epicentrum
— point above earthquake
Thai:
ศูนย์กลาง
(sŏon glaang)
— point above earthquake
Ukrainian:
епіце́нтр
(epicéntr)
— point above earthquake
Vietnamese:
chấn tâm
— point above earthquake
Vietnamese:
tâm chấn
— point above earthquake
Welsh:
uwchganolbwynt
— point above earthquake
Arabic:
بُؤْرَة
(buʔra)
— focal point of activity
Armenian:
էպիկենտրոն
(ēpikentron)
— focal point of activity
Finnish:
keskipiste
— focal point of activity
French:
épicentre
— focal point of activity
Greek:
επίκεντρο
(epíkentro)
— focal point of activity
Hindi:
केंद्र
(kendra)
— focal point of activity
Irish:
croílár
— focal point of activity
Irish:
ceartlár
— focal point of activity
Irish:
croí
— focal point of activity
Irish:
airmheán
— focal point of activity
Japanese:
震源地
(shingenchi)
— focal point of activity
