noun · 2 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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rhymes with -ɛntə(ɹ)
1
noun
Meaning 1
The focus of an earthquake, directly under the epicentre.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: geography, geology, natural-sciences
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 below an atmospheric explosion; ground zero
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From hypo- + centre; from Ancient Greek ὑπο- (hupo-, “under-, sub-”) and Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron, “centre”).
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
hiposentrum
— focus of an earthquake
Catalan:
hipocentre
— focus of an earthquake
Chinese Cantonese:
震源
(zan3 jyun4)
— focus of an earthquake
Hakka Chinese:
震源
(chṳ́n-ngièn)
— focus of an earthquake
Chinese:
震源
(chìn-goân)
— focus of an earthquake
Chinese Mandarin:
震源
(zhènyuán)
— focus of an earthquake
Dutch:
hypocentrum
— focus of an earthquake
Esperanto:
hipocentro
— focus of an earthquake
Finnish:
hyposentri
— focus of an earthquake
French:
hypocentre
— focus of an earthquake
Galician:
hipocentro
— focus of an earthquake
German:
Hypozentrum
— focus of an earthquake
Greek:
υπόκεντρο
(ypókentro)
— focus of an earthquake