1. Plural of central; telephone exchanges or switching centers that connect calls.
Usage: chiefly historical; telecommunications
2. Plural of central; central or main offices or facilities of an organization.
Usage: general use

Examples

• The old telephone centrals have been replaced by digital switching systems.
• Several regional centrals coordinate the company's operations across the country.
• Before cell phones, calls were routed through local centrals.
• The centrals in the downtown area handle thousands of connections daily.
• Multiple centrals work together to ensure reliable service delivery.