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 series is based on Backyard Baseball — the full-scale revamp of the beloved 2D arcade-style classic that has captivated kids and adults since 1997. — Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 July 2026

Previous generations had malls, arcades, parks, music venues, bookstores and more. — Kelly Samuel, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Kids and teens will love the new Treehouse activity center at Night Heron Park, which features a nature center, eight bowling lanes, an old-school arcade, an art studio, a family-friendly pub, and two golf simulators. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 18 July 2026

The second occurred last November when a 2-7 Dolphins team returned to their locker room and discovered the Pop-A-Shot arcade basketball hoop machine, and a second basketball rim were removed from the player’s locker room. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 17 July 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