epi·cen·tre epicentres in AM, use epicenter The epicentre of an earthquake is the place on the earth's surface directly above the point where it starts, and is the place where it is felt most strongly. The earthquake had its epicentre two-hundred kilometres north-east of the capital. Point on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the source (or focus) of an earthquake. There the effects of the earthquake usually are most severe. See also seismology
The point on the Earth's surface directly above the (subterranean) point of origin (hypocenter) of an earthquake; only two measurements, latitude and longitude, are needed to locate it
The location of an earthquake is given as a latitude and longitude and depth beneath the surface The projection of the location on the surface is called the epicenter, and is specified by the latitude and longitude The Hypocenter is the location including the specification of depth
alternative spelling of epicentre, however it is more commonly referring to the point on the surface where the quake started, directly above the focus (the focus is the exact location below the surface where the quake originated)
The location on the surface of the Earth directly above the focus, or place where an earthquake originates An earthquake caused by a fault that offsets features on the Earth's surface may have an epicenter that does not lie on the trace of that fault on the surface This occurs if the fault plane is not vertical and the earthquake occurs below the Earth's surface
The point on the Earth's surface directly above the location below the surface where the earthquake movements first started (focus) Also known as the "hypocenter