What does concentrical mean?
Concentrical is an adjective describing shapes—typically circles, rings, or spheres—that share the same common center. When several such figures are nested one inside another around an identical midpoint, they are said to be concentrical, as with the spreading ripples on a pond or the annual growth rings visible in a tree trunk. The word functions identically to its far more common counterpart 'concentric', but it has fallen almost entirely out of use in contemporary English, surviving chiefly in older scientific writing and historical texts. Readers who encounter it will usually find it in contexts involving geometry, physics, astronomy, or descriptive natural history, where layered circular patterns are being discussed. For anyone writing today, 'concentric' is the standard choice, though recognizing 'concentrical' remains useful when reading older works, where it appears with the same precise geometric sense: arranged around one shared center rather than offset from it.
adjectiveHaving a common center; relating to circles or spheres that share the same center point.
- Describing circles, rings, curves, or spheres that share the same center.
"The ripples spread across the pond in concentrical rings around the spot where the stone fell."
"The tree's growth rings formed nearly perfect concentrical circles."
"In his diagrams, each orbit was drawn as a concentrical ring around the central nucleus."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of concentrical
Concentrical derives from Latin centrum, meaning 'center', combined with a suffix indicating relation or possession. English adopted the related adjective 'concentric' from post-classical Latin concentricus in the sixteenth century, and 'concentrical' emerged shortly afterward as a variant form built with the native adjectival suffix '-al'. It shares this Latin root with words such as 'central', 'eccentric', and 'concentrate'.
Related word forms
How concentrical is actually used
'Concentrical' is now rare and largely archaic; writers today overwhelmingly prefer 'concentric'. The form survives mainly in older scientific and technical texts.
Easily confused with concentrical
Concentric is the standard modern form, while 'concentrical' is a rare or archaic variant meaning essentially the same thing.