Etymology

hypocenter

hy·po·cen·ter
H4Y4P3O1C3E1N1T1E1R1

Today it means: The point on the surface below an atmospheric explosion; ground zero. Full definition →

English center ← Middle English center ← Middle French centre
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  2. Ancient Greekῠ̔πό (hŭpó)
  3. Ancient Greekὑπο- (hupo-)
  4. Englishhypo-
  5. Latincentrum
  6. Middle Frenchcentre
  7. Middle Englishcenter
  8. Englishcenter
  9. English todayhypocenter

From hypo- + center.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.