central

B1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈsɛntɹ(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #2189

Meanings

1

adj
In or near the middle of an area or thing.

They live in a central part of the city, close to everything.
2

adj
Most important; key to something.

Trust is central to any good friendship.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 adj · most important; key to... main key principal fundamental

Word family

Forms centrals

Derived forms acentralanterocentralbicentralcaudocentralcentraliacentralisationcentralisecentralishcentralitycentralize centrallycentralmost

Related forms center

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱent-der. Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron)der. Latin centrum Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin centrālisbor. English central Borrowed from Latin centrālis, from centrum (“centre”), from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron); by surface analysis, centre + -al.

*ḱent- Proto-Indo-European κέντρον Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# central

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɛntɹ(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 2189

## Meanings
1. In or near the middle of an area or thing.
2. Most important; key to something.

## Examples
- They live in a central part of the city, close to everything.
- Trust is central to any good friendship.

## Derived Forms
- acentral
- anterocentral
- bicentral
- caudocentral
- centralia
- centralisation
- centralise
- centralish
- centrality
- centralize
- centrally
- centralmost

## Related Forms
- center

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱent-
- Root: κέντρον
- Affix: -al - relating to

## Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱent-der. Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron)der. Latin centrum Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin centrālisbor. English central Borrowed from Latin centrālis, from centrum (“centre”), from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron); by surface analysis, centre + -al.

## AI Etymology
central is an adjective, name, and noun. It was borrowed from Latin centrālis, from centrum (“centre”), from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron); by surface analysis, centre + -al. Historical forms in the chain include *ḱent- (Proto-Indo-European) and κέντρον (Ancient Greek). Current senses include in or near the middle of an area or thing and most important; key to something. Derived forms include acentral, anterocentral, bicentral, caudocentral, and centralia. Related words include center.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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