core
word
Definition
The core of something is its central, most important, or most basic part. It can be a physical center, like the inside of a fruit, or the essential part of an idea, system, or group.
Usage & Nuances
Very common in academic, business, and tech English: 'core values', 'core issue', 'core team', 'core memory', 'CPU core'. For fruit, 'core' is the hard middle with seeds. As a verb, 'to core an apple' means remove the middle part, but the noun is much more common.
Example Sentences
The core of the apple is hard.
basic
Even after the redesign, the app's core function stayed the same.
natural
Trust is at the core of friendship.
basic
This course teaches the core ideas of math.
basic
At its core, the problem is really about poor communication.
natural
We need a small core team to get this project started.
natural