core

CEFRB1

/kɔː/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    The central or most important part of something.

  2. 02

    noun

    The hard central part of a fruit containing its seeds.

Examples

  • The proverb's message struck me to the core.

  • This is the core of the problem.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • [kʰo̞ɹ]
  • /ko(ː)ɹ/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. In general usage, an essential part of a thing surrounded by other essential things.

  2. The central part of a fruit, containing the kernels or seeds.

  3. The heart or inner part of a physical thing.

More examples

In context

  • This report goes to the core of the argument.

  • Photographs of cottagecore focuses on countrysides or forests.

  • the core of an apple or quince

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The apple's blank contains the seeds and is typically not eaten.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English core, kore, coor (“apple-core, pith”), of obscure and uncertain origin. Possibly of native English origin, from Old English *cor, related to Old English *coruc, *corc (diminutive) (> Middle English cork, crok (“core of an apple or other fruit, heart of an onion”)) and Old English corn (“seed", also "grain”); or alternatively perhaps from Old French cuer (“heart”), from Latin cor (“heart”); or from Old French cors (“body”), from Latin corpus (“body”). Compare also Middle English colk, coke, coll (“the heart or centre of an apple or onion, core”), Dutch kern (“core”), German Kern (“core”). See also heart, corpse. Compare typologically Russian серде́чник (serdéčnik), сердце...