acme
Americannoun
noun
Other Word 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 65-year gap between the song’s original release and its acme position is the longest in history, according to Billboard.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2023
“These reflect the infamous Sun Tzu quote, ‘the acme of skill is to win a war without firing a shot,’” Mr. McCreight wrote.
From Washington Times • May 24, 2023
“I devote myself to the acme of emptiness,” says another.
From New York Times • Apr. 20, 2021
It suddenly feels like the acme of the Netherlands in the 1990s, ultimate expression of a certain kind of high-end brittleness.
From The Guardian • Apr. 13, 2020
Sharrukin the governor, Nânâ-Babilû, and Ludar Bit-Shamash, the sun-priest, each in his state chariot, each the acme of stiff courtesy, came together at the gate to greet the king their lord.
From Istar of Babylon A Phantasy by Potter, Margaret Horton
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.
