ENGLISH
REFERENCE

arcade

n. · v.
US //ɑɹˈkeɪd// UK //ɑːkˈeɪd// ar·cade
  1. 1 shopping passage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a covered path or hallway that has shops on both sides.

    a covered passage, typically with a glass roof, lined with shops or stalls on both sides.

    Example

    We walked through the historic arcade to look at the expensive jewelry in the windows.

    Example

    The Victorian shopping arcade remains a popular tourist destination, housing boutique stores beneath its ornate iron and glass canopy.
  2. 2 video game center (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a place where you can pay to play video games and other machines.

    an establishment containing coin-operated games, especially video games and pinball machines.

    Example

    The kids spent all their pocket money at the arcade playing racing games.

    Example

    While home consoles have become dominant, the local arcade still attracts teenagers with its immersive rhythm games and social atmosphere.
    • amusement arcade
    • game center
  3. 3 row of arches (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Architecture

    a series of arches supported by columns.

    a succession of arches, each counter-thrusting the next, supported by columns or piers.

    Example

    The old church has a beautiful stone arcade along the side of the garden.

    Example

    The cathedral's nave is defined by a soaring Romanesque arcade that draws the eye toward the altar.
  4. 4 to cover with arches (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Architecture

    to build or cover something with a series of arches.

    to furnish or decorate a structure with an arcade or a series of arches.

    Example

    The designer decided to arcade the walkway to provide shade from the sun.

    Example

    The architect proposed to arcade the courtyard's perimeter, mirroring the classical motifs found in the original eighteenth-century blueprints.

    Usage

    Transitive verb; requires a direct object.

    Teacher's tip

    This verb form is rare in modern English; students will mostly encounter the noun form.
Origin

Unadapted borrowing from French arcade, from Italian arcata (“arch of a bridge”), from Latin arcus (“arc”). Not related to Arcadia.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Related words

Last updated June 20, 2026