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centre, U.S. center sb. XIV. — (O)F. centre or its source L. centrum — Gr. kéntron goad, peg, stationary point of a pair of compasses, f. base of kenteîn prick. From XVI to XVIII the prevalent sp. was center; centre appeared in Bailey's dict. 1727 and was adopted by Johnson.
Hence centre vb. XVII. So central XVI, -ize XIX.

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