Arcadia
|Ar-ca-di-a|
🇺🇸
/ɑrˈkeɪdiə/
🇬🇧
/ɑːˈkeɪdiə/
idyllic pastoral paradise
Etymology
'Arcadia' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Αρκαδία' (transliterated 'Arkadia'), derived from the name 'Arkas' (Ἄρκας), a mythological figure.
'Arcadia' passed into Latin as 'Arcadia' and then into Medieval and Early Modern European languages; it entered English via Latin/Medieval Latin usage and Renaissance literature, keeping the form 'Arcadia'.
Initially, it referred to the geographic region in Greece named after the mythological 'Arkas'; over time it evolved into a literary and artistic term meaning an idyllic pastoral paradise.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a district in ancient Greece (a mountainous region in the central Peloponnese).
Arcadia in antiquity was known for its rugged hills and pastoral life.
Synonyms
Noun 2
an idealized, unspoiled rural paradise or pastoral idyll often depicted in literature and art.
The poet longed for an Arcadia of simple farms and peaceful shepherds.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/05 15:19