acme

American  

[ak-mee] / ˈæk mi /

noun

1. the highest point; summit; peak.

   The empire was at the acme of its power.

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acme British  

/ ˈækmɪ /

noun

1. the culminating point, as of achievement or excellence; summit; peak

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• acmic
  adjective
• acmatic
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

That said, a spokesperson for Acme Smoked Fish noted that since the show is filmed in Scotland, it is probably sourced locally.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Analysts like to say, “All quarters were good for Acme Widgets, except for Q3, when they experienced negative growth in revenue.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

We all laughed ourselves silly as the Coyote sued the Acme Corporation over its defective merchandise.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 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

Wilson and Schooler took the first-, eleventh-, twenty-fourth-, thirty-second-, and forty-fourth-ranking jams—Knott’s Berry Farm, Alpha Beta, Featherweight, Acme, and Sorrell Ridge—and gave them to a group of college students.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell