Illustration of arch
- 1 round
- imp impost
- sp springer
- v voussoir
- k keystone
- ext extrados
- int intrados
- 2 horseshoe
- 3 lancet
- 4 ogee
- 5 trefoil
- 6 basket-handle
- 7 Tudor
1
: a typically curved structural member spanning an opening and serving as a support (as for the wall or other weight above the opening)
2
a
: something resembling an arch in form or function
especially
: either of two vaulted portions of the bony structure of the foot that impart elasticity to it
b
: something that has a curved shape like an arch
There was a slight arch in her eyebrows.
an arch in the cat's back
3
: archway
arched; arching; arches
1
: to cover or provide with an arch
A bridge arches the stream.
2
: to form into an arch
She arched her eyebrows.
1
: to form an arch
Trees arch above the promenade.
2
: to take an arch-shaped course
The ball arched toward the basket.
2
a
: mischievous, saucy
b
: marked by a deliberate and often forced playfulness, irony, or impudence
known for her arch comments
… decided to answer them by being teacherly in a sort of arch, Olympian way.—
Gerald Early
Gerald Early
archness
noun
1
: chief : principal
archfiend
2
: extreme : most fully embodying the qualities of the kind
archconservative
see archi-
: ruler : leader
matriarch
: having (such) a point or (so many) points of origin
endarch
Did you know?
As a prefix, arch- appears in a number of titles referring to positions of superiority, such as archduke and archbishop; it can also mean "chief" (as in archnemesis) or "extreme" (archconservative). It comes from the Greek verb archein, meaning "to begin or to rule."
Synonyms
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Examples of arch in a Sentence
Noun
There was a slight arch to her eyebrows.
an arch in the cat's back
Verb
The cat arched its back.
She arched her eyebrows in surprise.
A tree arches over the road.
She arched backward to begin the exercise.
Adjective
a politician known for his arch humor
The novel is never mocking or arch in its tone.
Recent Examples on the WebKara Nesvig, Allure, 6 May 2024
The bedroom’s Fortuny fabric reappeared in his interior for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York, completed in 1958, and the canopy’s arches were the seed of his classicist infatuation, which culminated at the Beck House, an opulent private home in Dallas finished in 1964.
—Suleman Anaya, New York Times, 3 May 2024
But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has only unraveled since the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers and wider tensions with the West.
—Mehdi Fattahi, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 May 2024
Rather than have staff check customers’ purchases against their receipts upon exiting as the store historically required, the large blue exit arches now in 120 stores use computer vision to conduct the check.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 2 May 2024
Wheel arches are stuffed with 21-inch forged alloys wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S tires.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
Plants snaked around the bathing fixtures and the original arches suspended over the tubs were found buried in the dirt among the ruins.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024
This 3,200-acre sandy peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania, arches into Lake Erie.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 1 May 2024
The frame consists of a base that supports a square arch to which the vertical and horizontal carriages are attached.
—PCMAG, 30 Apr. 2024
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 10 May 2024
The dark corridor is made up of arching trees, giving just enough room for the train to run through.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2024
But her smile is still expressive and kind, her wispy eyebrows often arching to emphasize certain points, to make the listener laugh and win them over.
—Saskia Solomon, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Video village was next to a bridge, which arched over a murky river.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The aquarium that arches over a central pathway is filled with 16,000 gallons of saltwater.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 29 Mar. 2024
The kite shot straight up, arched to the left and danced in the sky.
—Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Corbett then sliced through two defenders, met two more at the rim and somehow pulled both arms back with his upper body arched to avoid contact and got off a two-handed shot.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024
Long arching stems hold long panicles that attract butterflies to your yard.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2024
Alison Herman, Variety, 12 May 2024
Shoppers noted that in addition to keeping their feet cool, the insoles also offered great arch support, which was beneficial both on long walks and hikes.
—Rachel Trujillo, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2024
There may be one winner for each participating market (there's more than 75), and once selected, each winner will receive their own personalized arch support system.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 5 May 2024
Their romance is like watching a Labrador puppy fall in love with a pampered Persian cat, all eager impulse on one side and arch contrariness on the other.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
The prospect of a war with Israel, after a series of tit-for-tat retaliation between the arch foes, has alarmed many ordinary Iranians already facing an array of problems, ranging from economic misery to tightening social and political controls after the nationwide unrest in 2022-23.
—Parisa Hafezi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2024
These shoes are also designed with ample arch support, spacious toe boxes, and deep heel cups, making comfort a major priority.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
In reviews, some customers swear by their arch support and more spacious calf shaft, which helps keep things nice and cool while working outside.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
The proprietary blend of EVA, the 10 mm heel raise, and the arch support ensures an easy transfer from heel to toe, thereby allowing foot and leg muscles to recover.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
Noun
Her brows were either hidden or bleached entirely, then drawn on in skinny, pencil-thin arches above a gradient red eye, with color diffused all the way up to the brows.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 6 May 2024
The bedroom’s Fortuny fabric reappeared in his interior for the Four Seasons restaurant in New York, completed in 1958, and the canopy’s arches were the seed of his classicist infatuation, which culminated at the Beck House, an opulent private home in Dallas finished in 1964.
—Suleman Anaya, New York Times, 3 May 2024
But for the weavers trying to sell their rugs under its ancient arches, their world has only unraveled since the collapse of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers and wider tensions with the West.
—Mehdi Fattahi, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 May 2024
Rather than have staff check customers’ purchases against their receipts upon exiting as the store historically required, the large blue exit arches now in 120 stores use computer vision to conduct the check.
—Sage Lazzaro, Fortune, 2 May 2024
Wheel arches are stuffed with 21-inch forged alloys wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 5 S tires.
—Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 2 May 2024
Plants snaked around the bathing fixtures and the original arches suspended over the tubs were found buried in the dirt among the ruins.
—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 2 May 2024
This 3,200-acre sandy peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania, arches into Lake Erie.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 1 May 2024
The frame consists of a base that supports a square arch to which the vertical and horizontal carriages are attached.
—PCMAG, 30 Apr. 2024
Verb
The arching canopy of a crepe myrtle looks perfect for shading a white concrete pool deck.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 10 May 2024
The dark corridor is made up of arching trees, giving just enough room for the train to run through.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2024
But her smile is still expressive and kind, her wispy eyebrows often arching to emphasize certain points, to make the listener laugh and win them over.
—Saskia Solomon, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024
Video village was next to a bridge, which arched over a murky river.
—Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
The aquarium that arches over a central pathway is filled with 16,000 gallons of saltwater.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 29 Mar. 2024
The kite shot straight up, arched to the left and danced in the sky.
—Jenna Portnoy, Washington Post, 30 Mar. 2024
Corbett then sliced through two defenders, met two more at the rim and somehow pulled both arms back with his upper body arched to avoid contact and got off a two-handed shot.
—Darren Sabedra, The Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2024
Long arching stems hold long panicles that attract butterflies to your yard.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Molloy began the series as an arch commentator who punctured the vampires’ self-importance, and still plays that part in Season 2.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 12 May 2024
Shoppers noted that in addition to keeping their feet cool, the insoles also offered great arch support, which was beneficial both on long walks and hikes.
—Rachel Trujillo, Travel + Leisure, 11 May 2024
There may be one winner for each participating market (there's more than 75), and once selected, each winner will receive their own personalized arch support system.
—Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 5 May 2024
Their romance is like watching a Labrador puppy fall in love with a pampered Persian cat, all eager impulse on one side and arch contrariness on the other.
—Olivia Waite, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2024
The prospect of a war with Israel, after a series of tit-for-tat retaliation between the arch foes, has alarmed many ordinary Iranians already facing an array of problems, ranging from economic misery to tightening social and political controls after the nationwide unrest in 2022-23.
—Parisa Hafezi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2024
These shoes are also designed with ample arch support, spacious toe boxes, and deep heel cups, making comfort a major priority.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024
In reviews, some customers swear by their arch support and more spacious calf shaft, which helps keep things nice and cool while working outside.
—Jessie Quinn, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024
The proprietary blend of EVA, the 10 mm heel raise, and the arch support ensures an easy transfer from heel to toe, thereby allowing foot and leg muscles to recover.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near arch
Cite this Entry
“Arch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arch. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
arch
2 of 4 verb1
: to cover or provide with an arch
2
: to form into an arch
3
: to take an arch-shaped path
arch-
4 of 4 prefix
: chief : principal
archenemy
Etymology
Noun
Middle English arche "arch," from early French arche (same meaning), derived from Latin arcus "bow (weapon)"
Adjective
from arch- (prefix)
Prefix
derived from Greek archein "to begin, rule"
Medical Definition
arch
noun1
: an anatomical structure that resembles an arch in form or function: as
a
: either of two vaulted portions of the bony structure of the foot that impart elasticity to it:
(1)
: a longitudinal arch supported posteriorly by the basal tuberosity of the calcaneus and anteriorly by the heads of the metatarsal bones
(2)
: a transverse arch consisting of the metatarsals and first row of tarsals and resulting from elevation of the central anterior portion of the median longitudinal arch
2
: a fingerprint in which all the ridges run from side to side and make no backward turn
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