'epicenter' ultimately originates from Greek, specifically the word 'epikentron', where 'epi-' meant 'upon' and 'kentron' meant 'center or sharp point'.

'epikentron' entered scientific and scholarly vocabulary via New Latin and German (e.g. German 'Epizentrum') and was adopted into English as 'epicenter' in the 19th century, especially in seismology.

Initially it referred specifically to the point on the Earth's surface above an earthquake's focus, but over time it also gained a figurative meaning as the 'central point' of any activity or event.