archway
|arch-way|
🇺🇸
/ˈɑrtʃweɪ/
🇬🇧
/ˈɑːtʃweɪ/
arched opening / entrance
Etymology
'archway' originates from English, specifically formed from the words 'arch' and 'way', where 'arch' ultimately comes from Latin 'arcus' meaning 'bow' or 'arc' and 'way' comes from Old English 'weg' meaning 'path'.
'arch' changed from Latin 'arcus' to Old French 'arche' and Middle English 'arche'/'arc', and combined with Old English 'weg' ('way') to produce the modern English word 'archway'.
Initially it referred to a 'bow-shaped structure', but over time it evolved into the modern sense of 'a passage or opening formed by an arch'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a curved or arched structure forming an entrance, passage, or opening, often supporting weight above it (e.g., an arched opening over a doorway).
They walked through the stone archway into the courtyard.
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Noun 2
an arched passage or walkway formed by one or more arches, such as an arcade or covered passage.
The market was shaded by a long brick archway.
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Last updated: 2025/10/02 13:57