hub
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the most important or busy center of a particular activity or place.
the effective center of an activity, region, or network.
Simple“The city has become a major technology hub with many new startup companies.”
In context“The capital serves as the nation's economic hub, attracting investment from across the globe and housing the headquarters of major financial institutions.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a central airport or station where many different routes meet.
a central point in a transport system where many routes converge and passengers or goods are transferred.
Simple“We had to change planes at the airline's main hub in Dubai.”
In context“The logistics company established a regional hub near the port to streamline the distribution of goods across the northern provinces.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the central part of a wheel that the other parts connect to.
the central part of a wheel, rotating on or with the axle, and from which the spokes radiate.
Simple“The mechanic noticed that the hub of the front wheel was cracked.”
In context“The cyclist carefully greased the wheel hub to ensure the bearings would rotate smoothly during the long-distance race.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
a device used to connect several computers or electronic pieces together in a network.
a hardware device used to connect multiple Ethernet devices together and make them act as a single network segment.
Simple“I bought a USB hub so I could plug my mouse, keyboard, and printer into one port.”
In context“The network administrator replaced the old passive hub with a high-speed switch to reduce data collisions and improve overall office connectivity.”
Synonymsconcentratorswitch - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
a central area in a video game where you can choose which level to play next.
a central world or menu area in a video game from which various levels or game modes are accessed.
Simple“After finishing the first mission, you return to the hub to upgrade your weapons.”
In context“The game's hub world is filled with non-playable characters who provide side quests and lore before the player enters the main dungeons.”
Synonymslobbyoverworld
“As the country’s capital and international hub, Sofia always seemed the obvious choice.”
“Incheon has also expanded its role as an international hub.”
From earlier hubbe, which has the same immediate origin as hob. Hub was originally a dialectal word; its ultimate origin is unknown. Compare German Hubbel (“bump on a surface”), from Proto-West Germanic hubil (“bump, hill”) (which contains a diminutive suffix -il); compare English hive, or perhaps ultimately from the same root as hip or hop.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.