arch

See also: ARCH, ärch, arch-, -arch, and arch.

English

arch (3).

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɑːtʃ/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ɑɹtʃ/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)tʃ

Etymology 1

From Middle English arch, arche, from Old French arche (“an arch”) (French arche), a feminine form of arc, from Latin arcus (“a bow, arc, arch”).

Noun

arch (plural arches)

  1. An inverted U shape.
  2. An arch-shaped arrangement of trapezoidal stones, designed to redistribute downward force outward.
  3. (architecture) An architectural element having the shape of an arch
  4. Any place covered by an arch; an archway.
    to pass into the arch of a bridge
  5. (archaic, geometry) An arc; a part of a curve.
  6. A natural arch-shaped opening in a rock mass.
Derived terms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
References

Verb

arch (third-person singular simple present arches, present participle arching, simple past and past participle arched)

  1. To form into an arch shape
    The cat arched its back
  2. To cover with an arch or arches.
Translations

Etymology 2

From the prefix arch-. "Principal" is the original sense; "mischievous" is via onetime frequent collocation with rogue, knave, etc.

Adjective

arch (comparative archer, superlative archest)

  1. Knowing, clever, mischievous.
    I attempted to hide my emotions, but an arch remark escaped my lips.
    • Tatler
      [He] spoke his request with so arch a leer.
    • 1906, O. Henry, By Courier
      A certain melancholy that touched her countenance must have been of recent birth, for it had not yet altered the fine and youthful contours of her cheek, nor subdued the arch though resolute curve of her lips.
    • 1912, Zane Grey, Riders of the Purple Sage, Chapter 3
      Lassiter ended there with dry humor, yet behind that was meaning. Jane blushed and made arch eyes at him.
  2. Principal; primary.
    • Shakespeare
      the most arch act of piteous massacre
Derived terms
Translations

Noun

arch (plural arches)

  1. (obsolete) A chief.
    • Shakespeare
      My worthy arch and patron comes to-night.

Further reading

  • arch in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • arch in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
  • arch at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

Czech

Noun

arch m inan

  1. sheet (in printing)

Declension

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *arg, from Proto-Germanic *argaz.

Adjective

arch

  1. bad, depraved
  2. wrong, evil
  3. shameful
  4. bad, worthless, of low quality
Inflection

This adjective needs an inflection-table template.

Alternative forms
  • erch
Derived terms
Descendants

Etymology 2

Substantive form of the adjective arch.

Noun

arch n

  1. evil
  2. disaster, misfortune
Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Further reading

  • “arch (I)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “arch (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
  • “arch (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929
  • “arch (II)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, 1929

Middle Welsh

Etymology

From the root of erchi (“to request”), from Proto-Celtic *ɸarsketi, from Proto-Indo-European *preḱ-.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /arχ/

Noun

arch f

  1. request

Verb

arch

  1. second-person singular imperative of erchi

Mutation

Middle Welsh mutation
RadicalSoftNasalH-prothesis
archunchangedunchangedharch
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every
possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.
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