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core

n. · adj. · v.
US //ˈkɔɹ// UK //kˈɔː// core
  1. 1 center of fruit (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Botany

    the hard central part of a fruit, such as an apple or pear, that contains the seeds.

    the central portion of certain fleshy fruits, such as apples or pears, containing the seeds and typically having a tough or fibrous texture.

    Example

    She ate the whole apple except for the core.

    Example

    After peeling the fruit, the chef used a specialized tool to remove the core without bruising the surrounding flesh.
  2. 2 most important part (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the most important or central part of a system, organization, or idea.

    the foundational or most essential part of an aggregate, system, or abstract concept; the essence.

    Example

    The core of the problem is that we don't have enough money.

    Example

    At the core of his philosophical argument lies the belief that individual liberty must always outweigh collective security.
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  1. 3 center of a planet or star (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Science

    the central part of a planet or star, which is often very hot or solid.

    the innermost layer of a celestial body, such as the Earth's molten outer core and solid inner core.

    Example

    Scientists study the Earth's core to understand the planet's magnetic field.

    Example

    The fusion reactions occurring within the star's core generate the immense pressure required to prevent gravitational collapse.
  2. 4 computing processor (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    one of the independent processing units in a computer's CPU.

    an independent processing unit within a central processing unit (CPU) that can execute program instructions.

    Example

    This new laptop has a processor with eight cores for faster performance.

    Example

    The software is optimized for multi-core architectures, allowing it to distribute heavy workloads across several processing units simultaneously.
  3. 5 essential (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    describing the most important or basic parts of something.

    constituting the essential, foundational, or most significant part of a whole.

    Example

    Math and English are core subjects that every student must take.

    Example

    The company decided to sell its secondary businesses to focus on its core competencies and long-term stability.

    Usage

    Usually placed before the noun.
  4. 6 to remove the center (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    to take the center part out of a fruit.

    to remove the central part or seeds from a fruit; to extract a cylindrical sample from a larger mass.

    Example

    You should peel and core the pears before boiling them in the syrup.

    Example

    The geologists spent the afternoon coring the glacier to obtain ice samples for climate analysis.

    Usage

    Transitive verb requiring a direct object.
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