Skip to main content
Etymology

arrival

əˈraɪvl

noun

Origin

French

arriver — to arrive

Overview

Meaning Now

  • the act of arriving; the coming to a place.
  • the state of being present after a journey.
  • a scheduled time of arrival, especially of a vehicle.

Language path

Middle English → Early Modern English → Modern English

Earliest form

arivaille

Earliest period

Late Middle English (c. 1400‑1500)

Journey

The word entered English during the late Middle English period as part of extensive borrowing from French after the Norman Conquest, reflecting the influence of French administrative and legal terminology.

Evolution

  1. Middle English

    arivaille / arivaile

    “act of arriving”

    borrowed from Old French *arrivaille*

  2. Early Modern English

    arrival

    “arrival, act of arriving”

    standardized spelling

  3. Modern English

    arrival

    “arrival, scheduled time of arrival”

Connections

Word parts

arriv-

root

to arrive (from French arriver)

-al

suffix

forming nouns indicating a state or action

Related across languages

  • French

    arrivée

    arrival

  • Spanish

    arribo

    arrival

  • Italian

    arrivo

    arrival

Explore next

Related to arrival

Get the WordOrigin app

External references use DefinedTerm semantics.