arcadia

noun, often capitalized

ar·ca·dia | \ är-ˈkā-dē-ə

Definition of arcadia

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet

Arcadia

geographical name

Ar·ca·dia | \ är-ˈkā-dē-ə

Definition of Arcadia (Entry 2 of 2)

1 city in southwestern California east-northeast of Los Angeles population 56,364

2 mountainous region of southern Greece in the central part of the Peloponnese

Did You Know?

Arcadia is a mountainous, landlocked region of Greece. The Roman poet Virgil recognized that Arcadia's isolation and bucolic character make it a perfect setting for pastoral poetry, and over the centuries many other writers have agreed. In the poems of Arcadia, naive and ideal innocence is often unaffected by the passions of the larger world. Shepherds play their pipes and sigh with longing for flirtatious nymphs; shepherdesses sing to their flocks; and goat-footed nature gods cavort in the fields and woods. Now English speakers often use arcadia to designate a place of rustic innocence and simple, quiet pleasure. Arcadian can mean "idyllically pastoral" or "idyllically innocent, simple, or untroubled."

Examples of arcadia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Capofaro, its sharpest hotel, with new suites, sits in an organic arcadia of wildflowers, vines, and herbs, all used in-house (highlights: the Ragusano cheese, the homegrown loquats). — Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, "These Islands Near Sicily Might Be the Last Uncrowded Part of Italy," 22 Aug. 2019 In this arcadia, their conjoined life once again thrust them back into the spotlight. — Yunte Huang, WSJ, "The Amazing American Story of the Original Siamese Twins," 29 Mar. 2018 Departing various Northeastern professional arcadias and supposedly superior dining opportunities for the bleached-linen, biscuit-baking, horsefly-biting landscape of my childhood. — Allison Glock, Southern Living, "The Joys of Moving Back South," 14 Sep. 2012 Departing various Northeastern professional arcadias and supposedly superior dining opportunities for the bleached-linen, biscuit-baking, horsefly-biting landscape of my childhood. — Allison Glock, Southern Living, "The Joys of Moving Back South," 11 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arcadia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.