: having (such) a point or (so many) points of origin
endarch
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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."
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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This elegant gold lamp is dimmable for all of your mood lighting needs, and the subtle arch is great for reading and working.—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2024 Marion Brown’s saxophone vaults through the air like the arches of a great mosque or cathedral, while harps swell from deep in the mix and bells ring out like pinpricks of light.—Daniel Bromfield, SPIN, 16 July 2024
Verb
Tropical Depression Two could lash parts of the Lesser Antilles – the arching chain of islands that form a broken barrier between the open Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea – by the end of the weekend.—Eric Zerkel, CNN, 28 June 2024 Pull your navel into your spine to avoid arching your back.—Marie Bladt, Vogue, 9 July 2024
Adjective
The cushioned footbed offers shock absorption and arch support, while the heel strap can be adjusted as well.—Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2024 Giallo in a more arch way, while the 80s thrillers often juxtaposed color and darkness.—Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 6 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for arch
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
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
: 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
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