Centre Meaning
/ˈsɛntəː/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounAustralia, British, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa standard spelling of center.
nounAustralia, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and South Africa standard spelling of center.
Sentence Examples
Who do you think is the best centre in the NBA?
The line of cars stretched all the way from the expressway to the city centre.
He walked to the centre of the circle.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The new shopping ____ will include a cinema and many restaurants.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We spent the afternoon at the shopping ____ in the middle of town.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"So after a short spell in the brass foundry the wisest course was to follow with a similar period in the steel foundry, where much important work was done, including the manufacture of centres for wheels."
— 1944 November and December, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—II”, in Railway Magazine, page 343:
"The phrase 'Imperial Manila' is used throughout the archipelago to denote the capital-heavy decision-making and the imposition of the will and culture of the political and economic centre on the peripheries."
— 2018, Balázs Áron Kovács, Peace Infrastructures and State-Building at the Margins, Springer, →ISBN, page 280:
"As Dodd wrote in ‘The Empty Nest,’ “To me, it was glaringly obvious that parting from a child who has been the centre of your life for twenty-odd years is a really big deal. Yet while new parents are bombarded with advice, empty nest parents are left to muddle through what is arguably the most challenging phase of parenting.”"
— 2025 August 10, Don Riddell, “Now that my kids are off to college, what’s this empty nester dad to do?”, in CNN:
"One controversy which has not had an airing in discussion of the new Transport Bill is that centring on the status of the Pullman Car Co."
— 1962 February 26, “Talking of Trains: The "Midland Pullman"”, in Modern Railways, page 77:
"A contribution to a wall newspaper of which I was an editor in our sector poked fun at the never-changing menu in the school cafeteria. It centred on the various and devious methods used in serving us hamburger. One time it would be called hamburger, another time bifshtek, then cutlet, and sneakiest of all, schnitzel—the only difference among them was usually only in their shape or whether bread crumbs had been used."
— 1988, Peter Hunter, “Back to School: Dealing with Dissent”, in Which Side Are You On, Boys: Canadian Life on the Left, Toronto, Ont.: Lugus Productions Ltd., →ISBN, page 96:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The new shopping ____ will include a cinema and many restaurants.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
We spent the afternoon at the shopping ____ in the middle of town.