core
core Lexical Profile
core Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The central, innermost, or most essential part of anything, such as an idea, belief system, or organization.
"Honesty and mutual respect form the core of a lasting friendship."
The dense, hot central region of a planet, star, or other celestial body.
"Seismic waves help geologists study the composition of the Earth's inner and outer core."
The muscles of the torso, especially the lower back, pelvic floor, and abdomen, that stabilize and support the spine and posture.
"Pilates and rowing exercises are excellent for strengthening your core."
The tough central part of certain fruits, such as apples and pears, containing the seeds.
"He ate the crisp apple down to its core and tossed the remainder into the compost bin."
An individual processing unit within a computer's central processing unit (CPU) capable of executing instructions independently, or the central region of a nuclear reactor containing the fuel elements.
"Modern laptops often feature processors with eight or more cores to handle multitasking efficiently."
• adjective
Central to the existence, character, or functioning of something; fundamental or most important.
"The university revised its core curriculum to include modern data science courses."
• verb
To remove the tough central seed-bearing part from a piece of fruit.
"Peel and core the apples before slicing them for the pie filling."
To extract a cylindrical sample from the interior of a solid material, such as rock, ice, soil, or a tree trunk, for scientific analysis.
"Researchers cored the ancient glacier to study atmospheric gases trapped in the ice thousands of years ago."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse with the homophone 'corps' (pronounced 'kor'), which refers to a body of troops or an organized group of people, or 'chore', which means a routine household task.
• Rhymes for core
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in Middle English in the 14th century, likely derived from Old French 'cor' or 'cuer' (meaning 'heart' or 'fruit core'), ultimately from the Latin 'cor' ('heart').