centerpiece

American  

[sen-ter-pees] / ˈsɛn tərˌpis /

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.

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Etymology

Origin of centerpiece

First recorded in 1830–40; center + piece

Example Sentences

Big electric trucks were the centerpiece of GM’s plan.

From The Wall Street Journal

Two scrolls from the Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead,’ one newly restored, form the breathtaking centerpiece of a show that reveals the considerable art involved in the ancient civilization’s burial rites.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was the centerpiece of a landmark Disney deal, which legitimized artificial intelligence for Hollywood royalty.

From The Wall Street Journal

The dam, which is 30% complete, was meant to be an architectural centerpiece—bowing outward, in defiance of standard engineering in which dams arc inward.

From The Wall Street Journal

One player to watch will be second-year outfielder Cam Smith, who the Astros acquired as the centerpiece of the Tucker trade.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• climax
• focal point