Rows of arches supported by columns; also, covered walkways lined with shops or games, especially places with video game machines.
From Italian 'arcata,' derived from Latin 'arcus' meaning 'arch.' Renaissance architects in Italy created these arched structures as beautiful covered passages. The term came to English in the 16th-17th centuries and expanded to mean any covered shopping or gaming area.
Video game arcades from the 1980s borrowed the architectural term 'arcade' because they were designed as covered spaces with multiple games—but the word itself comes from buildings from the Renaissance! It's wild that a 500-year-old architectural term now makes most kids think of Pac-Man and racing games.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.