'arrival' originates from Old French 'arriver' (to arrive), ultimately from Late Latin phrases meaning 'to reach the shore', where elements like 'ad-' meant 'to/toward' and 'rīpa' meant 'shore'.

'arrival' changed from Old French 'arriver' and Middle English forms such as 'arriven'/'arrival' and eventually became the modern English noun 'arrival' (plural 'arrivals').

Initially it often carried the sense 'to come to shore' or 'to reach land,' but over time it broadened to the general sense 'to come' and to the noun meaning 'the act or instance of coming' and 'those who have come'.