A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

arena --- 1627, "place of combat," from L. harena "place of combat," originally "sand, sandy place," perhaps from Etruscan. The central stages of Roman amphitheaters were strewn with sand to soak up the blood.

areola --- colored circle around a nipple, 1706, from L., lit. "small area," dim. of area. Introduced in this sense 1605 by Swiss anatomist and botanist Caspar Bauhin (1560-1624).

Areopagus --- 1642, from Gk., Areios pagos "the hill of Ares," west of the Acropolis in Athens, where the highest judicial court sat, from pagos "rocky hill." Sense extended to "any important tribunal." Areopagite "member of the Areopagus court" is attested from 1382 (cf. Acts xvii.34).

Ares --- Gk. god of war, identified by Romans with their Mars, lit. "injurer, destroyer," from are "bane, ruin," probably cognate with O.E. yrre "ire," Skt. irasya "ill-will."

arete --- important concept in Gk. philosophy, "virtue, excellence," lit. "that which is good." The comp. form is areion, the superl. is aristos (cf. aristocracy).

arête --- sharp crest of a mountain, 1862, from Swiss Fr., from L. arista "ear of grain," which probably is of Etruscan origin.

argent --- c.1485, "quicksilver," from M.Fr. argent, from O.Fr., from L. argentum "silver, white money," from PIE *arg-ent- (cf. Avestan erezata-, O.Pers. ardata-, Armenian arcat, O.Ir. argat, Breton arc'hant "silver"), from base *arg- "to shine, white," thus "the shining or white metal, silver" (cf. Gk. argos "white," arguron "silver;" Skt. arjuna- "white, shining," rajata- "silver," Hittite harki- "white").

Argentina --- S.Amer. nation, from L. argentinus "of silver," name as a Latinized form of Rio de la Plata, from Sp. plata "silver."

argle --- 1589 "to argue obstinately," from argue, perhaps by infl. of haggle. Reduplicated form argle-bargle (sometimes argy-bargy) "wrangling" is attested from 1872.

Argo --- name of the ship in which Jason and his companions sought the Fleece in Colchis, in Gk., lit. "The Swift," from argos "swift" (adj.), also "shining, bright" (see argent; cf. also Skt. cognate rjrah "shining, glowing, bright," also "swift"). Hence, Argonaut "sailor of the Argo" (1596), from Gk. nautes "sailor." Adventurers in the California Gold Rush of 1848 were called argonauts (because they sought the golden fleece) by those who stayed home.

argon --- 1894, from Gk. argon, neut. of argos "idle," from a- "without" + ergon "work" (see urge (v.)). So called by its discoverers, Baron Rayleigh and Sir William Ramsay, for its inert qualities.

argosy --- 1577, from It. (nave) Ragusea "(vessel) of Ragusa," a maritime city on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic (mod. Dubrovnik). Their large merchant ships brought rich Eastern goods to 16c. England.

argot --- 1860, from Fr. argot (17c.) "the jargon of Paris rogues and thieves," earlier "the company of beggars," from M.Fr., "group of beggars," origin unknown. The Eng. equivalent is cant. The Ger. equivalent is Rotwelsch, lit. "Red Welsh," but the first element may be connected with M.H.G. rot "beggar."

argue --- 1303, from O.Fr. arguer, from L. argutare "to prattle" freq. of arguere "to make clear, demonstrate," from PIE *argu-yo-, from base *arg- "to shine, be white, bright, clear" (see argent). Colloquial argufy is first attested 1751. Argument "proof, evidence" is from 1382; sense of "debate" is from 1494. Argumentative "fond of arguing" is from 1667.

Argus --- hundred-eyed giant of Gk. mythology, 1387, from L., from Gk. Argos, lit. "the bright one," from argos "shining, bright" (see argent). His epithet was Panoptes "all-eyes." After his death, Hera transferred his eyes to the peacock's tail. Used in fig. sense of "very vigilant person."

Argyle --- diamond-shaped pattern of two or more colors in fabric, said to be so called from similarity to tartans worn by Campbell clan of Argyll, Scotland. The place name is lit. "land of the Gaels," from O.Ir. airer "country."

aria --- from It., lit. "air."

Arian --- 1532, pertaining to the doctrines of Arius, priest in Alexandria early 4c., who posed the question of Christ's nature in terms which appeared to debase the Savior's relation to God (denial of consubstantiation). Besides taking an abstract view of Christ's nature, he reaffirmed man's capacity for perfection. The dissention was widespread and split the Church for about a century during a crucial time.

arid --- 1652, "dry, parched," from L. aridus, from arere "to be dry," from PIE base *as- "to burn, glow" (see ardent). Figurative sense of "uninteresting" is from 1827.

Aries --- zodiac constellation usually identified as "the Ram," c.1374, from L. aires "ram" (cf. arietare "to butt"), from a PIE root meaning "spring, jump" (cf. Lith. erytis, O.C.S. jarici, Arm. oroj "lamb;" Gk. eriphos, O.Ir. heirp "kid").

aright --- in a correct way, O.E. ariht, from a- (1) "of" + right (adj.).

arioso --- melodious, in a melodious way, 1742, from It. aria "melody" (see aria).

arise --- O.E. arisan (cognate with O.S. arisan, Goth. urreisan), from a- (1) "of" + rise (q.v.). Mostly replaced by rise except in ref. to circumstances.

aristocracy --- 1561, from L.L. aristocratia, from Gk. aristokratia "government, rule of the best," from aristos "best" (originally "most fitting," from PIE *ar-isto-, superlative form of *ar- "to fit together") + kratos "rule, power" (see -cracy). At first in a literal sense; meaning "rule by a privileged class (best-born or best-favored by fortune)" is from 1577 and became paramount 17c. Hence, the meaning "patrician order" (1651); and aristocratic "grand, stylish" (1845). In early use contrasted with monarchy; after Fr. and Amer. revolutions, with democracy. Aristocrat first recorded 1789, from Fr. aristocrate.

arithmancy --- 1577, "divination by numbers," from Gk. arithmos "number" + -manteia "divination."

arithmetic --- c.1250, from O.Fr. arsmetique, from L. arithmetica, from Gk. arithmetike (tekhne) "(the) counting (art)," from arithmos "number," from PIE base *ri- "number" (cf. O.E., O.H.G. rim "number;" O.Ir. rim "number," dorimu "I count;" L. ritus "religious custom"). Originally in Eng. arsmetrik, on folk etymology from L. ars metrica; spelling corrected early 16c. Replaced native tælcræft "tell-craft."

Arizona --- 1861, originally the name of a breakaway Confederate region of southern New Mexico; organized roughly along modern lines as a U.S. territory in 1863. From Sp. Arizonac, probably from a local name among the O'odham (Piman) people meaning "having a little spring." Alternate theory is that it derives from Basque arizonak "good oaks."

ark --- O.E. earc, mainly meaning Noah's, from L. arca "large box, chest" (see arcane).

Arkansas --- named for the Arkansas River, which was named for a Siouan tribe. "The spelling of the term represents a French plural, Arcansas, of a name applied to the Quapaw people who lived on the Arkansas River; their name was also written in early times as Akancea, Acansea, Acansa (Dickinson, 1995). This was not the name used by the Quapaws themselves, however. The term /akansa/ was applied to them by Algonquian speakers; this consists of /a-/, an Algonquian prefix found in the names of ethnic groups, plus /kká:ze, a Siouan term refering to members of the Dhegiha branch of the Siouan family. This stem is also the origin for the name of the Kansa tribe and of the state of Kansas; thus the placenames Arkansas and Kansas indirectly have the same origin." [William Bright, "Native American Placenames of the United States," 2004]

arm (1) --- body part, O.E. earm "arm," from P.Gmc. *armaz (cf. O.S., M.Du., Ger. arm, O.N. armr, O.Fris. erm), from PIE base *ar- "fit, join" (cf. Skt. irmah "arm," Armenian armukn "elbow," O.Prus. irmo "arm," Gk. arthron "a joint," L. armus "shoulder"). Arm of the sea was in O.E. Armchair is from 1633; adj. sense in ref. to "criticism of matters in which the critic takes no active part" is from 1886. Arm-twister "powerful persuader" is from 1938. Arm-wrestling is from 1971. Armpit first attested c.1400; fig. sense of "ugly, disgusting place" is U.S. student slang, c.1965.

arm (2) --- weapon, 1300, from O.Fr. armes (pl.), from L. arma "weapons," lit. "tools, implements (of war)," from PIE base *ar- "fit, join." The notion seems to be "that which is fitted together." Meaning "heraldic insignia" (in coat of arms, etc.) is 1330; originally they were borne on shields of fully armed knights or barons. The verb meaning "to furnish with weapons" is from 1205. Arms race first attested 1936.

armada --- fleet of warships, 1533, from Sp. armada "an armed force," from M.L. armata (see army). Especially of the "Invincible Armada" of Philip II of Spain (1588).

armadillo --- 1577, from Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado "armored," from L. armatus, pp. of armare "to arm" (see arm (2)).

Armageddon --- a final conflict, 1811, figurative use of name in Rev. xvi.16, place of the great and final conflict, from Heb. Har Megiddon "Mount of Megiddo," city in central Palestine, site of important Israeli battles.

armament --- 1609, "munitions of war" (especially the great guns on board a man-of-war), also "naval force equipped for war" (1699), from L. armamentum, from armare "to arm, furnish with weapons" from arma (see arm (2)).

Arminian --- 1618, from Arminius, Latinized form of the name of James Harmensen (1560-1609), Du. Protestant theologian opposed to Calvin, especially on the question of predestination. His ideas were denounced at the Synod of Dort, but nonetheless spread in the Reformed churches.

armistice --- 1707, from Fr. armistice, coined 1688 on the model of L. solstitium (see solstice), etc., from L. arma "arms" + -stitium (used only in compounds), from sistere "cause to stand" (see assist). Ger. Waffenstillstand is a loan-transl. from Fr. Armistice Day (1919) marked the end of the Great War of 1914-18 on Nov. 11, 1918. In Britain, after World War II, it merged with Remembrance Day. In U.S., Armistice Day became a national holiday in 1926. In 1954, to honor World War II and Korean War veterans as well, it was re-dubbed Veterans Day.

armoire --- 1571, from Fr., from L. armarium "closet, chest, place for implements or tools," from arma "gear, tools, arms." Before being reborrowed from Fr., the word earlier was in Eng. as ambry (1382).

armor --- 1297, "mail, defensive covering worn in combat," from O.Fr. armeure, from L. armatura "arms, equipment," from arma "arms, gear." The word might have died with jousting if not for late 19c. transference to metal-shielded machinery beginning with U.S. Civil War ironclads (first attested in this sense in an 1855 report from the U.S. Congressional Committee on Naval Affairs).

Armorica --- c.1386, ancient name for Brittany, from Gallo-Romance Are-mor-ica, lit. "before the sea," with a Celtic prefix meaning "before" (cf. O.Ir. ar) + mare "sea."

armory --- place where arms are manufactured, 1841, Amer.Eng., from arm (2). Earlier, "arsenal" (1538) and "the science of heraldry" (1489), from O.Fr. armoierie, from armoier "to blazon," from L. arma "weapons."

army --- c.1386, from O.Fr. armée, from M.L. armata "armed force," from L. armata, fem. of armatus, pp. of armare "to arm," lit. "act of arming," related to arma "tools, arms," from PIE *ar- "to fit together." Originally used of expeditions on sea or land; the specific meaning "land force" first recorded 1786. The O.E. words were here (still preserved in derivatives like harrier), from PIE *kor- "people, crowd;" and fierd, with an original sense of "expedition," from faran "travel." In spite of etymology, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, here generally meant "invading Vikings" and fierd was used for the local militias raised to fight them.

Arnold --- masc. proper name, from Ger., from O.H.G. Arenwald, lit. "having the strength of an eagle," from O.H.G. aro "eagle" + wald "power" (see wield).

aroint --- intr. verb, 1605, used by Shakespeare (only in imperative: "begone!"), obsolete and of obscure origin. "[T]he subject of numerous conjectures, none of which can be said to have even a prima facie probability." [OED]

aroma --- c.1220, from L. aroma "sweet odor," from Gk. aroma (gen. aromatos) "seasoning, sweet spice," of unknown origin. Aromatic attested from 1366, from O.Fr. aromatique (14c.), from L. aromaticus.

around --- c.1300, from phrase on round. Rare before 1600. In sense of "here and there with no fixed direction" it is 1776, Amer.Eng. (properly about). Of time, from 1888. To have been around "gained worldly experience" is from 1927, U.S. colloquial.

arouse --- 1593, "awaken," from a- (1) "on" + rouse (q.v.). Arousal is attested from 1854.

arpeggio --- 1742, from It., from arpeggiare "to play upon the harp," from arpa "harp."

arrack --- 1602, probably via India, ult. from Arabic araq, lit. "sweat, juice," used of native liquors in Eastern countries, especially those distilled from fermented sap of coconut palm, sometimes from rice and sugar.

arraign --- c.1325, "to call to account," from O.Fr. araisnier, from L. adrationare, from ad- "to" + ratio "argumentation, reckoning, calculation." Sense of "to call up on a criminal charge" is c.1400.

arrange --- 1375, "to draw up a line of battle," from O.Fr. arrangier, from a- "to" + rangier "set in a row," from rang "rank," from Frank. *hring. A rare word until the meaning generalized to "to place things in order" c.1780-1800. Musical sense of "adapt for other instruments or voices" is from 1808.

arrant --- c.1386, variant of errant (q.v.), at first merely derogatory, then (1550) acquiring a meaning "thoroughgoing, downright."

arras --- 1397, from Anglo-Norm. draps d'arras, from Arras, city in France where pictured tapestries were made, from L. Atrebates, name of a tribe of the Belgae who inhabited the Artois region; probably lit. "inhabitants," from a Celtic trebu "tribe."

array --- 1297, from O.Fr. areer "to put in order," from V.L. *ar-redare, from L. ad- "to" + Frank. *ræd- "ready" (cognate with Goth. garadis, O.E. geræde "ready").

arrears --- c.1315 (implied in arrearage), from O.Fr. ariere "behind, backward," from V.L. *ad retro, from L. ad "to" + retro "behind." Meaning "balance due" dates from 1432; phrase in arrears first recorded 1620, but in arrearages is from 1393.

arrest (v.) --- to cause to stop, 1375, from O.Fr. arester "to stay, stop," from V.L. *arrestare, from L. ad- "to" + restare "to stop, remain behind, stay back," from re- "back" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Meaning "detain legally" is first recorded 1375. Fig. sense of "to catch and hold (the attention, etc.)" is from 1814; arresting in this sense is from 1792.

arrive --- 1205, from O.Fr. ariver "to come to land," from V.L. *arripare "to touch the shore," from L. ad ripam "to the shore," from ad "to" + ripa "shore," with an original meaning of coming ashore after a long voyage. Sense of "to come to a position or state of mind" is from 1393.

arrogance --- 1303, from O.Fr. arrogance (12c.), from L. arrogantia, from arrogantem (nom. arrogans) "assuming, overbearing, insolent," prp. of arrogare "to claim for oneself, assume," from ad- "to" + rogare "ask, propose" (see rogation).

arrogate --- 1537, from L. arrogat-, pp. stem of arrogare "to claim for oneself" (see arrogance).

arrondissement --- 1807, "administrative subdivision of a Fr. department," from Fr., lit. "a rounding," from stem of arrondir "to make round."

arrow --- O.E. arwan, earlier earh "arrow," possibly borrowed from O.N. ör (gen. örvar), from P.Gmc. *arkhwo (cf. Goth. arhwanza), from PIE base *arku- "bow and/or arrow," source of Latin arcus (see arc). The ground sense would be "the thing belonging to the bow," perhaps a superstitious avoidance of the actual name. A rare word in O.E., where more common words for "arrow" were stræl (cognate with the word still common in Slavic, once prevalent in Gmc., too; meaning related to "flash, streak") and fla, flan, a N.Gmc. word, perhaps with the sense of "splinter." Stræl disappeared by 1200; fla lingered in Scottish until after 1500. Arrowhead is from 1483; ancient ones dug up also were called elf-arrows (17c.). Arrowroot (1696) so called because it was used to absorb toxins from poison-dart wounds.

arroyo --- a watercourse, dry streambed, 1845, a California word, from Amer.Sp., from Sp., "rivulet, small stream," from L. arrugia "shaft or pit in a gold mine," apparently a compound of ad- "to" + ruga "wrinkle."

arse --- buttocks, O.E. ærs "tail, rump," from P.Gmc. *arsoz (cf. O.N. ars, M.Du. ærs, Ger. Arsch "buttock"), cognate with Gk. orros "tail, rump, base of the spine," Hittite arrash, Arm. or "buttock," O.Ir. err "tail." Arse-hole first attested c.1400 as arce-hoole. Arsy-versy "backside foremost" first attested 1539.

arsenal --- 1506, "dockyard," from It. arzenale, from Arabic dar as-sina'ah "house of manufacture, workshop," from sina'ah "art, craft, skill," from sana'a "he made." Applied by the Venetians to a large wharf in their city, which was the earliest meaning in Eng. Sense of "public place for making or storing weapons and ammunition" is from 1579.

arsenic --- c.1386, from O.Fr. arsenic, from L. arsenicum, from Gk. arsenikon "arsenic," adopted for Syriac (al) zarniqa "arsenic," from Middle Persian zarnik "gold-colored" (arsenic trisulphide has a lemon-yellow color). The Gk. word is folk etymology, from arsen "male, strong, virile" (cf. arseno-koites "lying with men" in N.T.) supposedly in reference to the powerful properties of the substance. The mineral (as opposed to the element) is properly orpiment, from L. auri pigmentum, so called because it was used to make golden dyes.

arson --- 1680, from Anglo-Fr. arsoun (1275), from O.Fr. arsion, from L.L. arsionem (nom. arsio) "a burning," from L. arsus pp. of ardere "to burn," from PIE base *as- "to burn, glow" (see ardent). The O.E. term was bærnet, lit. "burning;" and Coke has indictment of burning (1640). Arsonist is from 1864.

art (n.) --- c.1225, "skill as a result of learning or practice," from O.Fr. art, from L. artem, (nom. ars) "art, skill, craft," from PIE *ar-ti- (cf. Skt. rtih "manner, mode;" Gk. arti "just," artios "complete;" Armenian arnam "make," Ger. art "manner, mode"), from base *ar- "fit together, join" (see arm (1)). In M.E. usually with sense of "skill in scholarship and learning" (c.1305), especially in the seven sciences, or liberal arts (divided into the trivium -- grammar, logic, rhetoric -- and the quadrivium --arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy). This sense remains in Bachelor of Arts, etc. Meaning "human workmanship" (as opposed to nature) is from 1386. Sense of "cunning and trickery" first attested c.1600. Meaning "skill in creative arts" is first recorded 1620; esp. of painting, sculpture, etc., from 1668. Broader sense of the word remains in artless (1589). As an adj. meaning "produced with conscious artistry (as opposed to popular or folk) it is attested from 1890, possibly from infl. of Ger. kunstlied "art song" (cf. art film, 1960; art rock, c.1970). Fine arts, "those which appeal to the mind and the imagination" first recorded 1767. Art brut "art done by prisoners, lunatics, etc.," is 1955, from Fr., lit. "raw art." Artsy "pretentiously artistic" is from 1902. Expression art for art's sake (1836) translates Fr. l'art pour l'art. First record of art critic is from 1865. Arts and crafts "decorative design and handcraft" first attested in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, founded in London, 1888. "Supreme art is a traditional statement of certain heroic and religious truths, passed on from age to age, modified by individual genius, but never abandoned. The revolt of individualism came because the tradition had become degraded, or rather because a spurious copy had been accepted in its stead." [William Butler Yeats]

art (v.) --- second person present indicative of be; see be.

art deco --- decorative and architectural style of the period 1925–1940 is first attested 1966, from Fr. art décoratif, lit. "decorative art," from L'Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, held in Paris 1925.

art nouveau --- first recorded 1901, from Fr., lit. "new art." Called in Ger. Jugendstil.

Artaxerxes --- Persian masc. proper name, in classical history, a son of Xerxes II, also a son of Darius, from Gk. Artaxerxes (explained by Herodotus as "Great Warrior"), from O.Pers. Artaxšaca, lit. "having a kingdom of justice," from arta- "justice" + xšaca "kingdom."

Artemis --- Gk. goddess of the moon, wild animals, hunting, childbirth, etc., sister of Apollo; her name is of unknown origin.

artery --- 1398, from O.Fr. artaire, from L. arteria, from Gk. arteria "windpipe," also "an artery," as distinct from a vein; related to aeirein "to raise" (see aorta). They were regarded by the ancients as air ducts because the arteries do not contain blood after death; medieval writers took them for the channels of the "vital spirits." The word is used of major rivers from 1805; of railways from 1850. Arteriosclerosis, from comb. form + Gk. sklerosis "hardening" is a Mod.L. formation first attested 1886.

artesian --- 1830, from Fr. puits artésien "wells of Artois," French province where such wells were first bored 18c. by Bélidor (1698-1761), from O.Fr. Arteis, from Atrebates, a tribe who lived in northwestern Gallia.

artful --- skilled in adapting means to ends, 1739, from art (n.).

arthritis --- 1543, from L. arthritis, from Gk. nosos arthritis "disease of the joints," from nosos "disease" + arthritis, fem. of arthrites (adj.) "pertaining to joints" (Gk. nosos is a fem. noun), from arthron "a joint" (see arthropod). Arthritic was used in Eng. as an adj. and a noun from 1366.

arthropod --- 1877, from Mod.L. Arthropoda, lit. "those with jointed feet," biological classification of the phylum of segmented, legged invertebrates; introduced 1845 by Ger. anatomist and zoologist Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold (1804-85) and coined by him from Gk. arthron "a joint" (from PIE *ar-dhro-, from *ar- "to fit together") + podos gen. of pous "foot" (see foot).

Arthur --- masc. proper name, from M.L. Arthurus/Arturus, from Welsh arth "bear," cognate with Gk. arktos, L. ursus (see Arctic). Arthurian "pertaining to the series of tales of British King Arthur and his knights, is first attested 1853.

artichoke --- 1531, from articiocco, Northern It. variant of It. arcicioffo, from O.Sp. alcarchofa, from Ar. al-kharshof "artichoke." The Northern It. variation probably is from infl. of ciocco "stump," and folk-etymology has twisted the word in Eng. The ending is probably infl. by choke, and early forms of the word in Eng. include archecokk, hortichock, artychough, hartichoake. The plant was known in Italy by 1450s, brought to Florence from Naples in 1466, and introduced in England in the reign of Henry VIII.

article --- c.1230, "separate parts of anything written" (e.g. the statements in the Apostles' Creed, the clauses of a statute or contract), from O.Fr. article, from L. articulus, dim. of artus "a joint" (from PIE *ar-tu-, from *ar- "to fit together"). Meaning extended to "a small division," then generalized to "item, thing." Older sense preserved in Articles of War "military regulations" (1716) and Articles of Confederation (U.S. history). Meaning "literary composition in a journal, etc." (independent, but part of a larger work) first recorded 1712. Meaning "pieces of property" (clothing, etc.) first attested 1796, originally in rogue's cant.

articulation --- 1541, "the action of bending the joints," from O.Fr. articulation, from M.L. articulationem (nom. articulatio), from articulatus, pp. of articulare "to separate (meat) into joints," also "to utter distinctly," from articulus, dim. of artus "joint" (see article). Articulate (v.) in the sense of "divide (vocal sounds) into distinct and significant parts" is first recorded 1594; generalized sense of "express in words" is from 1691.