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arcadia
noun
ar·ca·dia
är-ˈkā-dē-ə
often capitalized
: a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet
Examples of arcadia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What started as a public safety initiative has become a radical oddity, a small arcadia governed by militant environmentalism in the heart of avocado country.
—Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023
Unlike most dreams, Goodhue’s vision of a Spanish arcadia — in keeping with romantic visions of California as depicted in early-20th century fiction, tourism and Sunkist orange crate labels — did not fade away.
—Dirk Sutro, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023
Splendor is a bohemian arcadia nestled among desert, removed from the mainstream in an act of defiance that requires little explanation.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2023
My approach to journalism, to life, in this dirtbag arcadia, is that of an amateur anthropologist, and not the stuffy old kind who held themselves at a reserve, keeping clean while taking notes.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 24 Jan. 2023
In addition to creating a lively avian arcadia, the exhibition seeks to bring awareness to the various threats birds face and to comment on the fragility of the natural world.
—Rachel Silva, ELLE Decor, 17 June 2022
When the bulldozer returned a few days later, Ms. Park confronted it again, but this time she was joined by dozens of her neighbors in the south Indian arcadia of Auroville.
—New York Times, 5 Mar. 2022
The spareness feels like richness, an arcadia of silence and stillness that trains our attention on the actors’ every word and gesture.
—Elaine Blair, The New York Review of Books, 17 Dec. 2020
Reading becomes our temporary escape—our own arcadia.
—Tess Taylor, WSJ, 7 May 2021
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Word History
Etymology
Arcadia, region of ancient Greece frequently chosen as background for pastoral poetry
First Known Use
1847, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Arcadia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arcadia. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Geographical Definition
Arcadia
geographical name
Ar·ca·dia
är-ˈkā-dē-ə
1
city in southwestern California east-northeast of Los Angeles population 56,364
2
mountainous region of southern Greece in the central part of the Peloponnese
see also arcadian sense 2
More from Merriam-Webster on arcadia
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for arcadia
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about arcadia
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