centrally

C3E1N1T1R1A1L1L1Y4
UK/ˈsɛnt.ɹə.li/

adverb

In a central manner or situation; at, to, through or from the centre.

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 14

Meanings

adverbcentrally (comparative more centrally, superlative most centrally)

comparative more centrally · superlative most centrally

  1. locationIn a central manner or situation; at, to, through or from the centre.

    A universal joint shaft takes the drive to the final drive unit mounted centrally on one of the axles.

    1958 April 28, “Diesel Railbus for British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 275
    4 more examples

    The tubes being filled with distilled water, the light from an electric lamp was directed toward the central glass of the refractometer and the latter adjusted by screws till the light passed centrally down both tubes, and then the right angled prism at the further end adjusted till the light returned and was reflected into the telescope, where generally two images were observed.

    1886, Albert A. Michelson, Edward W. Morley, “Influence of Motion of the Medium on the Velocity of Light”, in American Journal of Science, Series 3, Volume 31, Number 185, pages 377-386

    Hence for the rain to centrally traverse the tube, this must be inclined at an angle BAD to the vertical;

    1911, “Aberration”, in Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition

    The labium is prolonged centrally into a “tongue,” which is glandular at the tip; the paraglossae are linear.

    1911, “Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition”, in Wasp

    Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big Four European nations.

    2004, Central Intelligence Agency, “Hungary”, in The World Factbook

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbin or near or toward a center or according to a central role or function

Opposite
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱen-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱéntrom
  3. Proto-Hellenic*kéntron
  4. Ancient Greekκέντρον (kéntron)
  5. Latincentrum
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  8. Latincentrālis
  9. Englishcentral
  10. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  11. Proto-Germanic*līką
  12. Englishcentrally

From central + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan centralment
  • centralmentin a central manner or situation
Esperanto centre
  • centrein a central manner or situation
Finnish keskeisesti
  • keskeisestiin a central manner or situation
French centralement
  • centralementin a central manner or situation
Greek κεντρικά
  • κεντρικά (kentriká)in a central manner or situation
Hungarian központilag
  • központilagin a central manner or situation
Italian centralmente
  • centralmentein a central manner or situation
Polish centralnie
  • centralniein a central manner or situation
Portuguese centralmente
  • centralmentein a central manner or situation
Spanish centralmente
  • centralmentein a central manner or situation
Ukrainian центра́льно
  • центра́льно (centrálʹno)in a central manner or situation
Cite this entry
APA

centrally. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centrally

MLA

“centrally.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centrally. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “centrally,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/centrally.

Source: centrally on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.