arcade

noun

ar·​cade är-ˈkād 

plural arcades

1

: a long arched building or gallery

2

a

: an arched covered passageway or avenue (as between shops)

b

chiefly British : a building that includes many shops

A job fair … today will introduce locals to the details of the 250 jobs that a new shopping arcade will bring when its doors open this autumn.

—The Journal (Newcastle, England)

3

: a series of arches with their columns or piers

4

: an amusement center having coin-operated games

Examples of arcade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Aurora City Council on Tuesday gave the green light to a downtown arcade that’s looking to expand and combine with a record store. —R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026

Housemarque built its reputation on bullet hell games, arcade shooters that demand precise control and quick-twitch reactions for success. —Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026

Mom Lucy, meanwhile, has landed a new job at the arcade’s video store and is dating her ever-helpful boss Max (Paul Alexander Nolan). —Greg Evans, Deadline, 26 Apr. 2026

By 1917, downtown was taking on a postcard-worthy shape thanks to a new city park, a commanding post office with a tower, and an arcade along Ojai Avenue. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Italian arcata, from arco arch, from Latin arcus

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing arcade

• amusement arcade
• arcade game
• penny arcade
• video arcade

Rhymes for arcade

• afraid
• allayed
• arrayed
• assayed
• barmaid
• betrayed
• blockade
• bridesmaid
• brigade
• brocade
• buffeted
• cascade

Kids Definition

arcade

noun

ar·​cade är-ˈkād 

1

: a row of arches with the columns that support them

2

: an arched or covered passageway (as between shops)

3

: a place with many games to be played by putting coins or tokens in them

Medical Definition

arcade

noun

ar·​cade är-ˈkād 

1

: an anatomical structure comprising a series of arches

2

: dental arch