'arcade' originates from French, specifically the word 'arcade', where the root 'arc-' ultimately comes from Latin 'arcus' meaning 'bow' or 'arch'.

'arcade' changed from Late Latin/Italian forms such as 'arcata' and from Old French/modern French 'arcade', and was adopted into English as 'arcade' to refer to a series of arches or a covered passage.

Initially related to the sense of 'arch' or 'bow' (from Latin 'arcus'), over time it came to mean 'a series of arches' or 'a covered passage formed by arches' and later 'a shopping arcade' (a covered commercial passage).