community centre: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to Formal
Quick answer
What does “community centre” mean?
A building or facility that provides social, recreational, and educational services for the people in a particular local area.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A building or facility that provides social, recreational, and educational services for the people in a particular local area.
It can refer to any central location serving as a hub for local activities, events, and support services, often run by or for the community itself. In a broader sense, it can metaphorically describe any person, group, or place that functions as a focal point for community life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, the primary spelling is 'community centre'. In American English, the standard term is 'community center', using the '-er' spelling. In US usage, 'recreation center' or 'neighborhood center' are common alternatives.
Connotations
In the UK, it often has stronger associations with local council provision and voluntary groups. In the US, it may be associated more with municipal parks departments or private non-profit organisations.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties, though 'community center' is significantly more common in American English corpus data.
Grammar
How to Use “community centre” in a Sentence
The [ADJECTIVE] community centre [VERB] ...[VERB] at/in the community centreThe community centre for [PLACE/GROUP]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “community centre” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council plans to community-centre its outreach programmes. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- The initiative aims to community-center services for seniors. (rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- She attends a community-centre yoga class every Tuesday.
American English
- They held a community-center fundraiser last weekend.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May appear in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports about funding local facilities.
Academic
Used in sociology, urban planning, and public policy texts discussing social infrastructure.
Everyday
Very common in general conversation when referring to local events, classes, or meetings.
Technical
Used in architectural, municipal planning, and social work contexts to specify a type of public building.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “community centre”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “community centre”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “community centre”
- Misspelling 'centre' as 'center' in UK contexts and vice-versa in US contexts. Using 'community center' as a verb (e.g., 'We community centered the event' – incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a compound noun written as two separate words: 'community centre' (UK) / 'community center' (US).
A community centre focuses broadly on social, educational, and local group activities, often with meeting rooms and halls. A leisure centre (UK) or recreation center (US) is more focused on sports and physical fitness facilities like pools and gyms.
Yes, many modern libraries function as de facto community centres by hosting events, clubs, and providing a public gathering space, though they are not typically called by that name.
It varies. They can be run by local government (councils), registered charities, voluntary organisations, religious groups, or sometimes by a management committee of local residents.
A building or facility that provides social, recreational, and educational services for the people in a particular local area.
Community centre is usually neutral to formal in register.
Community centre: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈmjuːnəti ˌsentə/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈmjunədi ˌsɛn(t)ər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's like Grand Central Station in here. (Metaphor for a busy hub)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'COMMunity' – it's the CENTRE (or center) where the COMMunity meets.
Conceptual Metaphor
A COMMUNITY CENTRE IS THE HEART OF A NEIGHBOURHOOD (pumping social life through the area).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most likely primary function of a community centre?