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 shook at a depth of just 4 miles, with its epicenter roughly 9 miles west of Johannesburg.
—
Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Jamaica looks to be the epicenter for the worst of Melissa’s triple threat of extreme rainfall flooding, wind damage and storm surge.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
That quake, with an epicenter 74 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was shallow and lasted at least three minutes.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The Plant Riverside District, once a bustling industrial area, has become the city’s epicenter for culture, dining, shopping, and entertainment.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epicenter
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Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Jamaica looks to be the epicenter for the worst of Melissa’s triple threat of extreme rainfall flooding, wind damage and storm surge.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
That quake, with an epicenter 74 miles east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was shallow and lasted at least three minutes.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The Plant Riverside District, once a bustling industrial area, has become the city’s epicenter for culture, dining, shopping, and entertainment.
—Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 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 29 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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