adj. 1 of, at, or forming the centre. 2 from the centre. 3 chief, essential, most important. Central America the isthmus joining North and South America. central bank a national bank issuing currency etc. central heating a method of warming a building by pipes, radiators, etc., fed from a central source of heat. central nervous system Anat. the complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body, in vertebrates the brain and spinal cord. central processor (or processing unit) the principal operating part of a computer. centrality n. centrally adv.
[ F central or L centralis f. centrum CENTRE ]