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

Foo Bar’s signature drinks bring the arcade theme to life. —Avidxchange Music Factory, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025

Michigan’s first stand-alone claw machine arcade. —Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025

Tickets to the activity area include access to wagon rides, corn maze, farm arcade, tractor playground, animals, Putt-Putt and more. —Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025

Its ten stalls are occupied by food vendors representing a wide array of cuisines and are within walking distance of a Dave & Buster’s arcade, an IMAX movie theater and the RTD light rail’s Colorado Station. —Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025

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