arche

A1R1C3H4E1
/ˈɑː(ɹ)ki/

noun

The first principle of existing things in pre-Socratic philosophy, initially assumed to be of water.

OriginAncient Greek ἀρχή →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

arche1

nounarche (countable and uncountable, plural archai)

plural archai

  1. countableuncountableoften italicizedhuman sciencesThe first principle of existing things in pre-Socratic philosophy, initially assumed to be of water.

    In more modern times both the moving and the matter moved appear more complex and malleable, and less drawn from the realm of everyday experience. The substance may be dark matter and quarks rather than water or air, and the arche may be gravity or string harmonics.

    2012, Lydia Pyne, Stephen J. Pyne, chapter 3, in The Last Lost World, Penguin, →ISBN

Arche2

proper noun
  1. Greekhuman sciencesA muse.
  2. astronomyOne of the moons of Jupiter.

Origin

arche · noun

  1. Ancient Greekἀρχή
  2. Englisharche

From Ancient Greek ἀρχή (arkhḗ, literally “beginning, origin”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Arche · proper noun

  1. Ancient GreekἈρχή
  2. LatinArchē
  3. EnglishArche

Borrowed from Latin Archē, from Ancient Greek Ἀρχή (Arkhḗ), from ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “beginning, origin”).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Italian archè
  • archèTranslations
Polish arche
  • archeTranslations
Portuguese arqué
  • arquéTranslations

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with arche

sparkySharkeysnarkymalarkeyparkysarkybarkyArkie
All rhymes →

Anagrams

reachacherchare
Cite this entry
APA

arche. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arche

MLA

“arche.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arche. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arche,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arche.

Source: arche on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.