Question

How is the meaning of eccentric related to the root "center?"

Answer 1

Answer and Explanation:

The word eccentric (adj) has different meanings. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, some of them could be :

1. deviating from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways, e.g., an eccentric millionaire.
2. deviating from an established or usual pattern or style, e.g., eccentric products.
3. deviating from a circular path (especially: ELLIPTICAL sense) e.g., an eccentric orbit.
4. located elsewhere than at the geometric center, e.g., an eccentric wheel.

The word has also its origins in different old languages, especially from the Ancient Greek ἔκκεντρος (ékkentros). If we break down the word, we have that the first part ἐκ means out, while the second part κέντρον means point or center. In other words, "out of the point or center."

Having said that, something or someone eccentric would be an object or person out of the point or center. Center, in this case, means common, normal or ordinary; even convention. Therefore, an eccentric person or object is a person or object out of the ordinary or out of the convention, as expressed in definitions 1 and 2. If we are talking about the sense expressed in definitions 3 or 4, then it would be more literal (center as a point of something).

Answer 2

this Latin root is the base word for many words including central, eccentric, and concentrate. The root word centr is easily recognized in the word egocentric, for someone who is egocentric is someone whose own “center” or self is first and foremost, above all others. hope this was helpful! (: