nucleus
noun
[ ˈnjuːklɪəs ]
• the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.
• "the nucleus of a British film-producing industry"
Similar:
core,
centre,
central part,
most important part,
heart,
nub,
hub,
middle,
midpoint,
eye,
kernel,
focus,
focal point,
pivot,
crux,
navel,
omphalos,
• the positively charged central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass.
Origin:
early 18th century: from Latin, literally ‘kernel, inner part’, diminutive of nux, nuc- ‘nut’.
