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.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebSophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2023
Instead, the inside was made up of a long corridor—which led to the mysterious arch.
—Christopher Parker, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Plus, as someone with high arches, taking on a flat-footed shoe sounded painful at best.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023
Normally rugs come in pretty traditional shapes like rectangle and round, but this retailer has elegant arches, swoopy scallops, and rounded edges, a visual interest smorgasbord for floor coverings.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2023
Mackinac Island’s Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch that was formed during the Nippising post-glacier period.
—Jasmin Barmore, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2023
Those with high arches will appreciate the sloped and squishy footbed, which provides support without feeling overly firm.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023
Another one of the best sensual massage techniques: Use your thumbs in areas where your partner wants more pinpointed pressure, like on the arches of their feet.
—Ro White, SELF, 15 Sep. 2023
Gilded arches and columns surround the pool, and the bottom of the pool is adorned with decorative mosaic work.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2023
James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2023
Without arching your back, squeeze your right glute and lift your right leg up toward the ceiling.
—Mallory Creveling, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
This movement also requires a ton of core engagement to ensure there's minimal arching through the spine.
—Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 1 Sep. 2023
This bracing can help prevent arching or rounding the low back, which is why an RDL is such a great core stabilizing move.1
The Romanian deadlift relies heavily on movement from the hips with a neutral spine.
—Tiffany Ayuda, Health, 22 Aug. 2023
The longleaf pine’s branches arch toward the sky, each bud bursting with spindly green fingers.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Dallas News, 24 July 2023
This native plant has elegant arching branches dotted with clusters of creamy white or pink flowers in late spring.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 21 July 2023
Disguising themselves as the Morpho and his sidekick, the Monarch and 21 decide to eliminate all the villains allowed to arch Doc.
—Mat Olson, Vulture, 19 July 2023
With wiry, arching stems and lacy leaflets, this houseplant is a striking addition.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 17 Aug. 2023
Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Not to mention that the foam midsoles are 2 millimeters thick, which will deliver excellent arch support and shock absorption to minimize pain and fatigue.
—Adrienne Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2023
Midsoles are ergonomically shaped to provide arch support, heel cradling, and absorb toe pressure.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 5 Sep. 2023
Sandals with contoured footbeds and good cushioning are designed to provide ideal arch support for your feet.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023
For me, these shoes always lacked arch support and cushioning for everyday walking.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2023
Orthotics can be inserted into the shoes for better arch support and shock absorption.
—Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2023
Read more: Best Hiking Shoes A sandal with decent arch support is a must-have for summertime, and these pairs check that essential box.
—Elizabeth Djinis, SELF, 4 Aug. 2023
Sturdy and durable, these shoes combine breathable comfort and excellent arch support for an all-round pleasurable hiking experience.
—Samson McDougall, Health, 4 Aug. 2023
See More
Noun
Note that those with high arches may find that these aren’t supportive enough, given the flat footbed.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2023
Instead, the inside was made up of a long corridor—which led to the mysterious arch.
—Christopher Parker, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
Plus, as someone with high arches, taking on a flat-footed shoe sounded painful at best.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023
Normally rugs come in pretty traditional shapes like rectangle and round, but this retailer has elegant arches, swoopy scallops, and rounded edges, a visual interest smorgasbord for floor coverings.
—Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2023
Mackinac Island’s Arch Rock is a natural limestone arch that was formed during the Nippising post-glacier period.
—Jasmin Barmore, Detroit Free Press, 2 Sep. 2023
Those with high arches will appreciate the sloped and squishy footbed, which provides support without feeling overly firm.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023
Another one of the best sensual massage techniques: Use your thumbs in areas where your partner wants more pinpointed pressure, like on the arches of their feet.
—Ro White, SELF, 15 Sep. 2023
Gilded arches and columns surround the pool, and the bottom of the pool is adorned with decorative mosaic work.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2023
Verb
Out front, bountiful bunches of bougainvillea arch their way across the home’s façade, and there’s a two-car garage.
—James McClain, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2023
Without arching your back, squeeze your right glute and lift your right leg up toward the ceiling.
—Mallory Creveling, Health, 3 Sep. 2023
This movement also requires a ton of core engagement to ensure there's minimal arching through the spine.
—Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 1 Sep. 2023
This bracing can help prevent arching or rounding the low back, which is why an RDL is such a great core stabilizing move.1
The Romanian deadlift relies heavily on movement from the hips with a neutral spine.
—Tiffany Ayuda, Health, 22 Aug. 2023
The longleaf pine’s branches arch toward the sky, each bud bursting with spindly green fingers.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Dallas News, 24 July 2023
This native plant has elegant arching branches dotted with clusters of creamy white or pink flowers in late spring.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 21 July 2023
Disguising themselves as the Morpho and his sidekick, the Monarch and 21 decide to eliminate all the villains allowed to arch Doc.
—Mat Olson, Vulture, 19 July 2023
With wiry, arching stems and lacy leaflets, this houseplant is a striking addition.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Country Living, 17 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Frequently Asked Questions Which Birkenstocks are most comfortable? Birkenstock shoes are made with a contoured footbed that molds to the shape of your feet and provides moderate arch support.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Not to mention that the foam midsoles are 2 millimeters thick, which will deliver excellent arch support and shock absorption to minimize pain and fatigue.
—Adrienne Jordan, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2023
Midsoles are ergonomically shaped to provide arch support, heel cradling, and absorb toe pressure.
—Brad Lanphear, Men's Health, 5 Sep. 2023
Sandals with contoured footbeds and good cushioning are designed to provide ideal arch support for your feet.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 31 Aug. 2023
For me, these shoes always lacked arch support and cushioning for everyday walking.
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2023
Orthotics can be inserted into the shoes for better arch support and shock absorption.
—Lindsay Modglin, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2023
Read more: Best Hiking Shoes A sandal with decent arch support is a must-have for summertime, and these pairs check that essential box.
—Elizabeth Djinis, SELF, 4 Aug. 2023
Sturdy and durable, these shoes combine breathable comfort and excellent arch support for an all-round pleasurable hiking experience.
—Samson McDougall, Health, 4 Aug. 2023
See More
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.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Verb
Middle English arche, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *arca, from Latin arcus — more at arrow
Adjective
Prefix (1)
Middle English arche-, arch-, from Old English & Anglo-French; Old English arce-, from Late Latin arch- & Latin archi-; Anglo-French arch-, from Late Latin arch- & Latin archi-, from Greek arch-, archi-, from archein to begin, rule; akin to Greek archē beginning, rule, archos ruler
Noun combining form
Middle English -arche, from Anglo-French & Late Latin & Latin; Anglo-French -arche, from Late Latin -archa, from Latin -arches, -archus, from Greek -archēs, -archos, from archein
Adjective combining form
probably from German, from Greek archē beginning
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Adjective
1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of arch was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing arch
Podcast
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!
Dictionary Entries Near arch
Cite this Entry
“Arch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arch. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on arch
Nglish: Translation of arch for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of arch for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arch
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share