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 WebLaura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 May 2024
To do just that, plan on hiking the 20-mile loop Perimeter Trail, and make sure to get a photo of Sewanee Natural Bridge, a 25-foot-high natural sandstone arch.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2024
Wear non-skid, cushioned shoes that support the arches of your feet.
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 19 May 2024
Their wide toe box allows for more room, and their insoles have a slight arch for extra support.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Visitors to the Palais have their bags searched and must pass individually through a metal detector arch, leading to long lines.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 May 2024
Our eyes keep going back and forth between her arches and her warm glowy blush.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 6 May 2024
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
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 May 2024
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
Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Plus, they’re designed with arch support, a breathable lining, and foam cushioning for all-day comfort.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 24 May 2024
The six-piece set includes a square, half moon, arch, cylinder, triangle, and foldable circle and is available in several colorful packs.
—Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 18 May 2024
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
Noun
In our opinion, the compression level of these socks feels like a firm hug around our calves, heels, and the arches and tops of our feet.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 May 2024
To do just that, plan on hiking the 20-mile loop Perimeter Trail, and make sure to get a photo of Sewanee Natural Bridge, a 25-foot-high natural sandstone arch.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2024
Wear non-skid, cushioned shoes that support the arches of your feet.
—Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health, 19 May 2024
Their wide toe box allows for more room, and their insoles have a slight arch for extra support.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Visitors to the Palais have their bags searched and must pass individually through a metal detector arch, leading to long lines.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 18 May 2024
Our eyes keep going back and forth between her arches and her warm glowy blush.
—Annie Blay, Allure, 6 May 2024
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
Verb
The blooms may need to be staked to keep arching flowers off the ground.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 22 May 2024
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
Adjective
Thompson seemingly had an answer for every Century defender thrown at him, finishing with a game-high 25 points, determined to come home with the second win of the season over his school’s arch rival.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 24 May 2024
Plus, they’re designed with arch support, a breathable lining, and foam cushioning for all-day comfort.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, Peoplemag, 24 May 2024
The six-piece set includes a square, half moon, arch, cylinder, triangle, and foldable circle and is available in several colorful packs.
—Heather Balogh Rochfort, Parents, 18 May 2024
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 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 29 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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