specifically: the support about which a lever turns
the camera moves on a fixed fulcrum, either horizontally (panning) or vertically (tilting) Gerald Mast
b
: one that supplies capability for action
he is … the reader's eyes and ears and the fulcrum of his judgment Bernard De Voto
2
: a part of an animal that serves as a hinge or support
Did you know?
Fulcrum, a word that means "bedpost" in Latin, derives from the verb fulcire, which means "to prop." When the word fulcrum was used in the 17th century, it referred to the point on which a lever or similar device (such as the oar of a boat) is supported. It did not take long for the word to develop a figurative sense referring to something used as a spur or justification to support a certain action. In zoology, fulcrum can also refer to a part of an animal that serves as a hinge or support, such as the joint supporting a bird's wing.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe levels in the nation’s largest freshwater reservoir, Lake Mead, behind the Hoover Dam and a fulcrum of the Colorado River basin, have dropped to around 25% of capacity. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 28 Aug. 2022 The Philippines is a fulcrum of the geopolitical rivalry between the US and China and Marcos faces a tricky challenge in balancing ties between the two major powers. Reuters, CNN, 6 Aug. 2022 Now, heading into Year 3, Bigsby finds himself as the fulcrum of Auburn’s revamped offense — and at No. 2 in AL.com’s countdown of the 10 most valuable Auburn players heading into the season. Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 13 July 2022 For the next 80 days, Azovstal would be a fulcrum of the war, as Russian brutality collided with Ukrainian resistance.New York Times, 20 July 2022 Mayfield's competitiveness was often the fulcrum upon which his four-year stint with the Browns seemed to constantly turn. Chris Easterling, USA TODAY, 12 July 2022 The simplest versions consist of a metal beam from which hang two pans at equal distances from the central support or fulcrum.Quanta Magazine, 27 June 2022 Coffee has been the fulcrum of life here for almost three centuries, since enslaved people cut the first French coffee plantations into the mountainsides.New York Times, 20 May 2022 Helping an already potent Walsh Jesuit offense, Weiner was the fulcrum of the team’s work in the offensive zone as the Warriors posted another successful year and postseason appearance.cleveland, 19 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Late Latin, from Latin, bedpost, from fulcire to prop — more at balk entry 2