arch

arch · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂erkʷ-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂erkʷos
3. Proto-Italic*arkuos
4. Latinarcus
5. Old Frencharc
6. Old Frencharche
7. Middle Englisharch
8. English todayarch

From Middle English arch, arche, from Old French arche (“an arch”), a feminine form of arc, from Latin arcus (“a bow, arc, arch”). Doublet of arc and arco. Displaced native Old English bīeġels and Old English hwealf.

arch · adjective, noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂er-der.?
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ergʰ-der.?
3. Ancient Greekἄρχω (árkhō)
4. Ancient Greekἀρχι- (arkhi-)
5. Latinarchi-
6. Old Englisharċe-
7. Middle Englisharch-
8. Englisharch-
9. English todayarch

From the prefix arch-. "Principal" is the original sense; "mischievous" is via onetime frequent collocation with rogue, knave, etc.

arch · noun³

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂er-der.?
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ergʰ-der.?
3. Ancient Greekἄρχω (árkhō)
4. Ancient Greekἀρχι- (arkhi-)
5. Proto-Indo-European*teḱ-
6. Proto-Indo-European*tetḱ-
7. Proto-Indo-European*tétḱō
8. Proto-Hellenic*téktōn
9. Ancient Greekτέκτων (téktōn)
10. Ancient Greekἀρχιτέκτων (arkhitéktōn)
11. Latinarchitectus
12. Latinarchitectūra
13. Frencharchitecture
14. Englisharchitectureclip.
15. English todayarch

Clipping of architecture.

Arch · proper noun⁴

Clipping of Archibald or Archie.

Words from the same roots