acme
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of acme
First recorded in 1560–70, from Greek akmḗ “point, highest point, extremity”
Explanation
When something is at the very peak of perfection, reach for this noun from Greek: acme. A brilliant violinist might reach the acme of her career, but eventually she might become unstrung. This noun referring to the highest point of something might sound comical because it has shown up so often in cartoons as the name of a company, such as the one that makes Wile E. Coyote's contraptions in the old Warner Brothers cartoons. But the word is actually a serious-minded import from Greek. Near synonyms for high points include zenith, summit, pinnacle, apex, and peak, but acme has a special nuance for an ultimate point of perfection.
Vocabulary lists containing acme
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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The Awakening
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The two favorites, an Itala imported from Turin, Italy, and a snazzy yellow American-made Acme, could not keep up in rough terrain.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
If you spot one during the day, check closely to see if it is carrying a sack of birdseed or any Acme packaging before contacting animal control.
From Slate • Sep. 5, 2025
We have all heard of carmaker Ford, but what about its one-time rivals Abbot-Detroit, Acme, Adams and Aerocar?
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2025
Coyote finally decides to hire a lawyer to take the Acme Corp. to court for product liability, such as faulty rocket skates and defective aerial bombs.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2025
A new Acme had opened, and the bakery section always had a tray of free samples sitting on the counter.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
