Adjacent Words

Central definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CENTRAL, a. Relating to the center; placed in the center or middle; containing the center, or pertaining to the parts near the center.
Central forces, in mechanics, the powers which cause a moving body to tend towards or recede from the center of motion.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: serving as an essential component; "a cardinal rule"; "the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure" [syn: cardinal, central, fundamental, key, primal]
2: in or near a center or constituting a center; the inner area; "a central position" [ant: peripheral] n
1: a workplace that serves as a telecommunications facility where lines from telephones can be connected together to permit communication [syn: central, telephone exchange, exchange]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Latin centralis, from centrum center Date: 1647 1. containing or constituting a center 2. of primary importance ; essential, principal <the central character of the novel> 3. a. situated at, in, or near the center b. easily accessible from outlying districts <a central location for the new theater> 4. a. centrally placed and superseding separate scattered units <central heating> b. controlling or directing local or branch activities <the central committee> 5. holding to a middle between extremes ; moderate 6. of, relating to, or comprising the brain and spinal cord; also originating within the central nervous system <central deafness> • centrally adverb II. noun Date: 1889 1. a telephone exchange or operator 2. a central office or bureau usually controlling others <weather central> 3. a center or hub for a specified activity or group <her house is party central> <the family room becomes kid central>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 of, at, or forming the centre. 2 from the centre. 3 chief, essential, most important. Phrases and idioms: Central America the isthmus joining North and South America. central bank a national bank issuing currency etc. central heating a method of warming a building by pipes, radiators, etc., fed from a central source of heat. central nervous system Anat. the complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body, in vertebrates the brain and spinal cord. central processor (or processing unit) the principal operating part of a computer. Derivatives: centrality n. centrally adv. Etymology: F central or L centralis f. centrum CENTRE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Central Cen"tral, a. [L. centralis, fr. centrum: cf. F. central. See Center.] Relating to the center; situated in or near the center or middle; containing the center; of or pertaining to the parts near the center

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Central Cen"tral, Centrale Cen*tra"le, n. [NL. centrale, fr. L. centralis.] (Anat.) The central, or one of the central, bones of the carpus or or tarsus. In the tarsus of man it is represented by the navicular.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. Something that is central is in the middle of a place or area. ...Central America's Caribbean coast... ...a rich woman living in central London. ADJ • centrally The main cabin has its full-sized double bed centrally placed with plenty of room around it. ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 2. A place that is central is easy to reach because it is in the centre of a city, town, or particular area. ...a central location in the capital. ADJ • centrally ...this centrally located hotel, situated on the banks of the Marne Canal. ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 3. A central group or organization makes all the important decisions that are followed throughout a larger organization or a country. There is a lack of trust towards the central government in Rome. ...the central committee of the Cuban communist party. ADJ: ADJ n • centrally This is a centrally planned economy. ADV: ADV -ed, ADV after v 4. The central person or thing in a particular situation is the most important one. Black dance music has been central to mainstream pop since the early '60s. ...a central part of their culture. ADJ: oft ADJ to n • centrality The centrality of the German economy to the welfare of Europe must be recognised. N-UNCOUNT: usu N of n • centrally In her memoirs Naomi is quick to acknowledge that her grandmother was centrally important in her venture as a writer. ADV: ADV with cl/group, ADV after v

Moby Thesaurus

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