centerpiece
UK[ˈsentəpiːs]US[ˈsentərpiːs]
n
The most important or attractive item or feature in a group or arrangement.
n
An ornament or display placed in the center of a dining table.
Morpheme Breakdown
center
piece
center
middle
piece
part
Etymology
The word 'centerpiece' is a transparent compound formed within Modern English from two well-established nouns: 'center' and 'piece'. The term 'center' traces back to the Latin centrum, borrowed from Greek kéntron (sharp point, stationary point of a compass), which itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European root kent- (to prick). 'Piece' entered English from Old French, with ultimate origins in a Gaulish word meaning 'portion'. The compound logically combines these elements to denote 'a piece designed for the center', first appearing in the early 19th century to describe a central decorative object on a table. Its meaning naturally extended metaphorically to signify the most important or focal element in any plan, system, or collection.
Analysis
Structure: center (middle) + piece (part)
- center: From Latin centrum (center, point of a circle), via Old French centre. In this compound, it functions as a noun indicating the central location or focus.
- piece: From Old French piece (piece, portion, part), of Gaulish origin. In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning a distinct part or item.
Examples
The new statue will be the centerpiece of the city's renovated plaza.
She created a beautiful floral centerpiece for the dinner party.
Economic reform is the centerpiece of the government's policy agenda.