central
adj.
1640s, from French central or directly from Latin centralis "pertaining to a center," from centrum (see center, n.). Centrally is attested perhaps as early as early 15c., which might imply a usage of central earlier than the attested date.Slightly older is centric (1580s). As a U.S. colloquial noun for "central telephone exchange," first recorded 1889 (hence, "Hello, Central?"). Central processing unit attested from 1961. Central America is attested from 1826.
〔李〕[centr=the middle point中心点；-al a.=of……的→] a.① of the middle point;belonging to the center中心的；中央的/the central com-mittee中央委员会② principal;dominate主要的；支配的/the central idea of an article文章的主题思想▽centralism [central;-ism n.] n.集中制；中央集权制centrality [central;-ity n.] n.中心性；中心地位centralize [central;-ize v.] v.形成中心；使集中