'centric' originates from Greek via Latin, specifically from the Greek word 'kentron' (κέντρον) meaning 'center' or 'sharp point', which passed into Late/Medieval Latin as 'centricus' and then into English as 'centric'.

'kentron' (Greek) became the Latinized form 'centricus' and through Medieval and New Latin usage entered English as the adjective 'centric' and as the combining element '-centric'.

Initially it referred to the idea of a 'center' or 'point', and over time it evolved into the modern sense of 'having or relating to a center' and 'oriented around something' (including use as a combining element meaning 'centered on').