arch

noun

(architecture) An architectural element having the shape of an arch

An arch-shaped arrangement of trapezoidal stones, designed to redistribute downward force outward.

Any place covered by an arch; an archway.

A natural arch-shaped opening in a rock mass.

(anatomy) The curved part of the bottom of a foot.

(video games) Synonym of god (“person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon”).

An inverted U shape.

A diminutive of the male given names Archibald or Archie.

(archaic, geometry) An arc; a part of a curve.

(obsolete) A chief.

verb

(transitive) To form into an arch shape.

(transitive) To cover with an arch or arches.

adjective

Principal; primary.

Knowing, clever, mischievous.

(Ireland) Cute, sly, prematurely wise.

(statistics) Initialism of autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity

Roots

arcusarch- · Latin · bow, arch

Synonyms for arch

archwayn arcn voussoirn skewback arcature curven obeliskn ogiven monumentn bridgen

Synonyms & related words for arch

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of arch — including archway, arc, voussoir, skewback, arcature, curve. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to arch

Explore words related to arch — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include overarched, intrados, archivolt, overarches, extrados, arciform, surbase, embowed. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for arch

Common synonyms for arch include archway, arc, voussoir, skewback, arcature, curve, obelisk, ogive — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does arch come from?

The word arch breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root arch-, from Latin arcus (“bow, arch”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.