Our perception of the term arcade often brings to mind nostalgic images of retro game rooms filled with children playing classic games like Pacman and Galaga. However, the word arcade originally referred to covered passageways lined with various entertainment venues. Its origins can be traced back to its meaning as a “covered avenue,” then as an “arched passageway,” and even further back to Latin arcata, which means “arch of a bridge,” derived from Latin arcus (the root of arc), meaning “arch” or “bow.” Ultimately, this word can be linked back to the Proto-Indo-European arkwo, which also denotes “bow.” Interestingly, the usage of the term arcade peaked in 1878 according to Google NGrams and has been on a decline since then.
