HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY
To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.
Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.
THE USAGE PANEL
The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.
AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP
The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG
The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.
INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?
Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com
arch 1  (ärch)
Share:
Tweet n. 1. A usually curved structure forming the upper edge of an open space and supporting the weight above it, as in a bridge or doorway. 2. A structure, such as a freestanding monument, shaped like an inverted U. 3. A curve with the ends down and the middle up:the arch of a raised eyebrow. 4. Anatomy An organ or structure having a curved or bowlike appearance, especially either of two arched sections of the bony structure of the foot. v.arched, arch·ing, arch·es v.tr. 1. To provide with an arch:arch a passageway. 2. To cause to form an arch or similar curve. 3. To bend backward:The dancers alternately arched and hunched their backs. 4. To span:"the rude bridge that arched the flood"(Ralph Waldo Emerson). v.intr. To form an arch or archlike curve:The high fly ball arched toward the stands. [Middle English, fromOld Frencharche, fromVulgar Latin*arca, fromLatinarcus.]  (click for a larger image) arch1semicircular arch A. keystone B. voussoirs C. springers D. imposts |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
arch- 1
Share:
Tweet pref. 1. Chief; highest; most important: archenemy. 2. Extreme or most characteristic of its kind: archconservative. [Middle English arche-, from Old English ærce- and from Old French arche-, both from Latin archi-, from Greek arkhi-, archi-.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
arch- 2
Share:
Tweet pref. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
adj. 1. Chief; principal: their arch foe. 2. a. Mischievous; roguish: "She ... was arch enough to inform the queen whenever I committed any folly that she thought would be diverting to her majesty" (Jonathan Swift). b. Teasing, ironic, or sardonic: "I know, Edy Boardman said none too amiably with an arch glance from her shortsighted eyes. I know who is Tommy's sweetheart" (James Joyce). [From ARCH-1.] archly adv. archness n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
-arch
Share:
Tweet suff. Ruler; leader: matriarch. [Middle English -arche, from Old French, from Late Latin -archa, from Latin -archēs, from Greek -arkhēs, from arkhos, ruler, from arkhein, to rule.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
arch.
Share:
Tweet abbr. 1. a. archaic b. archaism 2. archipelago 3. a. architect b. architecture |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
