Dictionary Home » Dictionary Definitions » central

central

Listen See in Thesaurus See in a sentence

The definition of central is something located in the center or middle, or the most basic or important part of something.

(adjective)

An example of central is a downtown shopping center in the middle of town; central location.
An example of central is a park that's close to many popular city attractions; central park.
An example of central is love and happiness being most people's ultimate wish for their children; central to children's life.

See central in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

in, at, or near the center
of or forming the center
equally distant or accessible from various points
most important; main; basic; principal
of or having to do with a single source that controls all activity in an organization or system
1. designating or of that part of a nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord or, in many invertebrates, the chief ganglia and their major nerve cords
2. of the centrum of a vertebra
Phonet. articulated with the tongue in a position approximately halfway between front and back: said of certain vowels, as (u) in bud

Origin: L centralis

noun

a telephone exchange, esp. the main one, or the telephone operator: an early term

Related Forms:

centrally adverb

former administrative region of SC Scotland, which included the former county of Clackmannan and parts of the former counties of Perth, Stirling, and West Lothian

See central in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective

Situated at, in, or near the center: the central states.
Forming the center.
Having dominant or controlling power or influence: the company's central office.
Of basic importance; essential or principal: “Performance, including technological invention and artistic creation, will become central to education at all levels” (Frederick Turner).
Easily reached from various points: a central location for the new store.
Of or constituting a single source controlling all components of a system: central air conditioning.
Anatomy
a. Of, relating to, or originating from the nervous system.
b. Relating to a centrum.
Linguistics Articulated in the middle of the oral cavity; neither front nor back. Used of vowels, as the u in cut.
Holding to a moderate ideological position between two extremes.

noun

a. A telephone exchange.
b. An operator at a telephone exchange.
An office or agency at the center of a group of related activities that serves to control and coordinate them: traffic central.

Origin:

Origin: Latin centrālis

Origin: , from centrum, center; see Center

Related Forms: