core

noun
UK: /kɔː/
US: /kɔːr/

  1. The central or most important part of something.

    1. The core of the Earth is very hot. [ ] [ ]
    2. Good teamwork is at the core of our company's success. [ ] [ ]

  2. The hard central part of some fruits, containing the seeds.

    1. I ate the apple but threw away the core. [ ] [ ]
    2. Remove the core from the pears before you bake them to make them easier to eat. [ ] [ ]

  3. A cylindrical sample of something.

    1. The geologist took a core sample of the rock. [ ] [ ]
    2. Scientists drilled ice cores to study past climates and predict what changes are coming. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

center heart essence nucleus crux kernel
core verb

  1. To remove the core from a fruit.

    1. Core the apples before making the pie. [ ] [ ]
    2. She carefully cored each pear before adding it to the salad so the salad would be easier to eat. [ ] [ ]

  2. To take a sample of something by drilling and removing a cylinder-shaped piece.

    1. Scientists will core the ice to study its composition. [ ] [ ]
    2. The team used special equipment to core the rock in order to test its integrity. [ ] [ ]
core adjective

  1. Most important; essential.

    1. That course covers the core subjects. [ ] [ ]
    2. Understanding the core principles of physics is essential for success. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "core" in English means: The central or most important part of something., The hard central part of some fruits, containing the seeds., A cylindrical sample of something..

The phonetic transcription of "core" is /kɔː/ in British English and /kɔːr/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "core": center, heart, essence, nucleus, crux, kernel.

Example usage of "core": "The core of the Earth is very hot.". More examples on the page.