arrondissement

noun

ar·​ron·​disse·​ment ə-ˈrän-də-smənt  ˌa-ˌrōⁿ-(ˌ)dē-ˈsmäⁿ 

1

: an administrative district of some large French cities

2

: the largest division of a French department

Examples of arrondissement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s always a different kind of energy in this fashion capital, with showgoers and street-style stars alike bring an effortlessly chic sensibility to the city’s winding arrondissements. —Amanda Le, InStyle, 9 Mar. 2026

In Paris, far from the hustle and bustle of the Côte d’Azur, the couple took refuge in a historic Art Deco building in the 16th arrondissement. —Noelann Bourgade, Architectural Digest, 6 Mar. 2026

That will mean translating its rock ’n’ roll image for a new generation, while keeping it a look that is rooted in the chic 16th arrondissement of Paris. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 24 Feb. 2026

Often lush, but occasionally sinister, this is a France of rustic auberges rather than refined arrondissements. —Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "action of making round or rounding off, circumscription of boundaries, extension of a territory, subdivision of a French department," going back to Middle French, "rounding off," from arrondiss-, variant stem of arrondir "to make round, round off" (going back to Old French arondir, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs — going back to Latin ad- ad- — + -rondir, verbal derivative of reund, rond round entry 1) + -ment -ment

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 2