What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
centerline
Example
The car crossed over the centerline and entered the oncoming traffic. [centerline: noun]
Example
The soccer player dribbled the ball down the centerline of the field. [centerline: noun]
median
Example
The accident happened when a car veered off the road and crashed into the median. [median: noun]
Example
The median household income in the city has increased over the past decade. [median: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Median is more commonly used than centerline in everyday language. Median has a wider range of applications, being used not only in the context of roads but also in mathematics. Centerline, on the other hand, is more specific to the context of roads and sports fields.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between centerline and median?
Both centerline and median are relatively formal terms, as they are technical terms used in specific contexts. However, median can also be used in a more casual context when referring to the middle value in a set of numbers.