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British

arcade

[ ahr-keyd ]

/ ɑrˈkeɪd /

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See synonyms for arcade on Thesaurus.com

noun

Architecture.

a series of arches supported on piers or columns.
an arched, roofed-in gallery.Compare colonnade.

an arched or covered passageway, usually with shops on each side.

an establishment, public area, etc., containing games of a mechanical and electronic type, as pinball and video games, that can be played by a customer for a fee.

an ornamental carving, as on a piece of furniture, in the form of a row of arches.

verb (used with object), ar·cad·ed, ar·cad·ing.

to provide with an arcade.

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Origin of arcade

First recorded in 1725–35; from French, from Italian arcata “arch,” equivalent to arc(o) “arch” + -ata; see arc -ate¹

Words nearby arcade

arbuscular mycorrhiza, Arbuthnot, arbutus, arc, arca, arcade, arcaded, arcade game, Arcadia, Arcadian, Arcadic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use arcade in a sentence

In the downstairs “Fun Society,” he removed arcade games and pool tables, needing the extra space for more dining tables, separated by plexiglass dividers, and 40 bar stools.
Football is back in Happy Valley. The coronavirus never left.|Kent Babb|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
So even though there’s been an uptick in spending on homes and home renovation, it’s not nearly enough to make up for the steep drop in travel, eating out and fun evenings at the ballpark or arcade.
The trend that helps explain why the economy is still in trouble — and the recovery is uneven|Heather Long, Andrew Van Dam|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
When she started in 1983, Nintendo of America was still a small 70-person company focused on arcade games like Donkey Kong and one-off portables in the Game & Watch line.
War Stories: How Nintendo sold the NES to a skeptical country|Kyle Orland|October 29, 2020|Ars Technica
Shmup fans like myself were spoiled with originals and arcade ports like R-Type and Blazing Lazers.
Analogue takes on the TurboGrafx-16 with its Duo retro console|Devin Coldewey|October 16, 2020|TechCrunch

Simple arcade workoutThis one’s for the arcade game lovers or those who only track that one big score.
It’s time to add video games to your workout routine|John Kennedy|September 30, 2020|Popular-Science
I remember the rush when I even got close to an Asteroids game in an arcade or a pizzeria.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even though it was a school day—about fifth period, I calculated—the arcade was filled with seventh graders.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Marketing data from the initial field test indicated that the game was being played virtually every minute the arcade was open.
‘Asteroids’ & The Dawn of the Gamer Age|David Owen|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Facebook employees, for instance, can enjoy a free candy shop, a video arcade, or a classic barbershop.
Silicon Valley Interns Make a Service Worker’s Yearly Salary In Three Months|Samantha Allen|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On a boulevard with stacked neon-lit signs blanketing the buildings, Veatch finds the gaming arcade frequented by the Kims.
‘Love Child’ Game Over: Internet Addicts Let Their Baby Starve to Death|Nina Strochlic|July 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Not to create too great a stir, Malcolm pulled up both horses at the entrance to the arcade.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
Beneath the balcony was an arcade where many seats were disposed among palms and pampas grass.
Ancestors|Gertrude Atherton
This type of arcade or window is found in early German work, except that, as a rule, there is a capital under the impost block.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 2|Various
Then, making up his mind suddenly, he went down the arcade and out onto the sidewalk, for spying was not in his nature.
The Woman Gives|Owen Johnson
She profited by the moments indecision to flit swiftly out of the ghostly arcade toward the avenue.
The Woman Gives|Owen Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for arcade

arcade

/ (ɑːˈkeɪd) /

noun

a set of arches and their supporting columns

a covered and sometimes arched passageway, usually with shops on one or both sides

a building, or part of a building, with an arched roof

Word Origin for arcade

C18: from French, from Italian arcata, from arco, from Latin arcus bow, arch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012