# center

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɛn.tə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #649

## Definitions
1. The point in the interior of a circle that is equidistant from all points on the circumference.
2. The point in the interior of a sphere that is equidistant from all points on the circumference.
3. The middle portion of something; the part well away from the edges.
4. The middle portion of something; the part well away from the edges.
5. The point on a line that is midway between the ends.
6. The point in the interior of any figure of any number of dimensions that has as its coordinates the arithmetic mean of the coordinates of all points on the perimeter of the figure (or of all points in the interior for a center of volume).
7. A point on a triangle's plane that is in some sense in its middle.
8. A place, especially a building or complex, set aside for some specified function or activity.
9. The ensemble of moderate or centrist political parties.
10. The venue in which the head of government in a centralized state is situated.
11. A topic that is particularly important in a given context, the element in a subject of cognition, volition or discussion that is perceived as decisive.
12. A player in the middle of a playing area.
13. A player in the middle of a playing area.
14. A player in the middle of a playing area.
15. A player in the middle of a playing area.
16. A player in the middle of a playing area.
17. A player in the middle of a playing area.
18. A certain mechanical implement functioning in the middle of a whole apparatus
19. A certain mechanical implement functioning in the middle of a whole apparatus
20. A certain mechanical implement functioning in the middle of a whole apparatus
21. A certain mechanical implement functioning in the middle of a whole apparatus
22. The set of those elements (of a given algebraic structure) that commute with every other element, usually denoted Z(G). In the case of (semi-)groups, it is required that they commute under the (semi-)group operation; in the case of rings and (Lie) algebras, under multiplication (i.e. the bracket for Lie algebras)

## Etymology
From Middle English center, centre, from Middle French centre, from Latin centrum, from Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron), from κεντεῖν (kenteîn, “to prick, goad”). Doublet of centrum.
* (group theory): In the notation Z(G), the letter Z derives from the German Zentrum (“center”).

## Easily confused with
- **cents** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-cents)
- **conte** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-conte)
- **centre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-centre)
- **cutter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-cutter)
- **crater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-crater)
- **confer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-confer)
- **cinder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-cinder)
- **cotter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-cotter)
- **century** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-century)
- **centers** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-centers)
- **centres** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-centres)
- **Chester** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-chester)
- **centred** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-centred)
- **cheater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-cheater)
- **centered** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/center-vs-centered)
- **cent** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cent-vs-center)
- **cater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cater-vs-center)
- **cancer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/cancer-vs-center)
- **Carter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/carter-vs-center)
- **censor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/censor-vs-center)

## Common misspellings (8)
`ccenter`, `cenetr`, `cennter`, `centerr`, `centter`, `cetner`, `cneter`, `ecnter`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/center