ark

[ ahrk ]

/ ɑrk /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR ark ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter) Also called Noah's Ark. the large boat built by Noah in which he saved himself, his family, and a pair of every kind of creature during the Flood. Gen. 6–9.

Also called ark of the covenant. a chest or box containing the two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, carried by the Israelites in their wanderings in the desert after the Exodus: the most sacred object of the tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem, where it was kept in the holy of holies.

a place of protection or security; refuge; asylum.

(initial capital letter) Judaism. Holy Ark.

a flatboat formerly used on the Mississippi River and its tributaries.

Nautical. life car.

Archaic. a chest or box.

Nearby words

arius, ariz., arizona, ariège, arjuna, ark, ark of the covenant, ark shell, ark., arkadelphia, arkansan

Origin of ark

before 850; Middle English ark(e), erke, Old English arc, earc(e) (compare Old Frisian erke, arke, Dutch ark, Old High German, Gothic arka, Old Norse ǫrk) < Latin arca chest, coffer, derivative of arcēre to safeguard, cognate with Hittite h̬ark- hold, possess

Can be confusedarc ark

Definition for ark (2 of 2)

Ark.

Arkansas.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ark

And, just eyeballing it here, that ark looked closer to four hundred cubits than the biblically prescribed three hundred.
‘Noah’: The Bible vs. the Blockbuster|Joel Baden|March 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the design of the ark lends an element of drama to the film.
‘Noah’ is a Global Warming Epic About the Battle Between Religion and Science, Says Cinematographer|Marlow Stern|March 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis|The Daily Beast|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis|The Daily Beast|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis|The Daily Beast|March 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have no doubt that derision kept many people out of the ark.
T. De Witt Talmage|T. De Witt Talmage
Shall I ever believe that God has commanded a tabernacle to be built to have His oracle heard from the ark in it?
Marie Bashkirtseff (From Childhood to Girlhood)|Marie Bashkirtseff
This ark was built of stout planks, with the lower seams caulked, forming a perfectly flat basis on the water.
Pittsburgh in 1816|Various
Contemplate Ra within his Ark, and do thou propitiate his orb daily.
The World's Progress, Vol. I (of X)|Various
Venus was an ark brooded over by a dove, or the moon floating on the water.
The Freethinker's Text Book, Part II.|Annie Besant

British Dictionary definitions for ark (1 of 3)

ark

/ (ɑːk) /

noun

the vessel that Noah built and in which he saved himself, his family, and a number of animals and birds during the Flood (Genesis 6–9)

out of the ark informal very old; out of date

a place or thing offering shelter or protection

dialect a chest, box, or coffer

Word Origin for ark

Old English arc, from Latin arca box, chest

British Dictionary definitions for ark (2 of 3)

Ark

/ (ɑːk) /

noun Judaism

Also called: Holy Ark the cupboard at the front of a synagogue, usually in the eastern wall, in which the Torah scrolls are kept

Also called: Ark of the Covenant the most sacred symbol of God's presence among the Hebrew people, carried in their journey from Sinai to the Promised Land (Canaan) and eventually enshrined in the holy of holies of the Temple in Jerusalem

British Dictionary definitions for ark (3 of 3)

Ark.

abbreviation for

Arkansas

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

Word Origin and History for ark

ark

Old English earc, mainly meaning Noah's but also the Ark of the Covenant, from Latin arca "large box, chest" (see arcane). Also borrowed in Old High German (arahha, Modern German Arche). From the Noachian sense comes extended meaning "place of refuge" (17c.). As the name of a type of ship or boat, from late 15c. In 19c. U.S., especially a large, flat-bottomed river boat to move produce, livestock, etc. to market.

ark

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of ark

Definition for ark (2 of 2)

Ark.

Examples from the Web for ark

British Dictionary definitions for ark (1 of 3)

ark

noun

Word Origin for ark

British Dictionary definitions for ark (2 of 3)

Ark

noun Judaism

British Dictionary definitions for ark (3 of 3)

Ark.

abbreviation for

Word Origin and History for ark

ark