centerpiece

[ sen-ter-pees ]

noun

1. an ornamental object used in a central position, especially on the center of a dining-room table.
2. the central or outstanding point or feature:

   The centerpiece of the evening was a play put on by the employees.

Word History and Origins

Origin of centerpiece¹

First recorded in 1830–40; center + piece

Example Sentences

The opening of Tiana’s gives the newly christened Bayou Country its centerpiece attraction.

From Los Angeles Times

Likewise, Tiana’s wants to turn its centerpiece 50-foot drop into a thing to be welcomed.

From Los Angeles Times

At least once a month, my mother would pull birds of paradise from the downstairs bush, arrange them like so, place them in a vase and position the flowers as a centerpiece in the living room atop our mahogany coffee table.

From Los Angeles Times

Setting such relationships as the centerpiece for a movie can be risky; audiences may have the expectation that friends don’t have as much potential for drama or roller-coaster emotions as people who are in love.

From Los Angeles Times

“Even when I was playing against him, I wanted to show him the heart and passion he instilled in me,” said Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott, a USC star who went on to face Robinson’s Rams teams as a centerpiece of the San Francisco 49ers’ defense.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• climax
• focal point