Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “central” come from?

Central derives from Latin centrālis, formed with the Latin suffix -ālis from Ancient Greek κέντρον, which comes from the verb κεντεῖν meaning to prick or goad, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱent-.

central (English): Being in the centre; Having or containing the...

Definitions

  1. Being in the centre; Having or containing the...

Ancestry of “central”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishcentralcentral; headquarter; center
2Latincentrālis—
3Latincentrumcenter ; centre
4Ancient GreekκέντρονSomething with a sharp point: point, spike, spur;...
5Proto-Hellenic*kéntron—
6Proto-Indo-European*ḱéntrom—

Words derived from “central”

  • centrality
  • centrally
  • centralize
  • centralism
  • decentralize
  • centralist
  • precentral
  • postcentral
  • centralise
  • noncentral
  • decentralise
  • southcentral
  • paracentral
  • northcentral
  • decentral
  • centralistic
  • decentralist
  • noncentrality
  • subcentral
  • pericentral
  • decentralism
  • centralizer
  • neurocentral
  • frontocentral
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *ḱéntrom →