penny arcade

American  

noun

1. an amusement hall or area that contains coin-operated entertainment devices, originally operated for a penny a play.

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penny arcade British  

noun

1. a public place with various coin-operated machines for entertainment; amusement arcade

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Etymology

Origin of penny arcade

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

penny arcade

Gilligan, a judge on popular ITV series The Masked Singer, recalled spending days on the beach and riding the log flume at the fun park as well playing the penny arcade machines.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Within a decade, it was relegated to the basement; a penny arcade sat above.

From New York Times ● Aug. 30, 2018

It boasted a carousel, a penny arcade, a billiard hall, a restaurant, and a 5- and 10-cent theater.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 17, 2015

The most intriguing element is the machine, which looks like a castoff from a penny arcade.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2015

Sometimes Mama would stop and look at the pictures outside the Apollo Theater, and sometimes, for a special treat, we would stop in the penny arcade.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers