VocabuoDictionaryGet the app
noun

die Arche, -n

ark

Definition & meaning

Arche means an ark: a large vessel traditionally associated with the biblical story of Noah, who built one to save his family and animals from the flood. The word can also be used figuratively for a place of refuge or safety.

Grammar & Word origin

Arche is a feminine noun: die Arche. Its plural is die Archen.

The word comes through Latin arca, meaning “box” or “chest.” In German, its main familiar use is for Noah’s vessel.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no exact everyday synonym. Depending on context:

  • Schiff (“ship”) is much broader: an ark is a kind of vessel, but most ships are not arks.
  • Rettungsboot (“lifeboat”) can be similar in the sense of carrying people to safety, but it usually means a smaller emergency vessel.
  • Zufluchtsort (“place of refuge”) works for the figurative sense, not the literal vessel.

There is no direct antonym.

Common phrases & collocations

  • die Arche Noah — Noah’s Ark
  • eine Arche bauen — to build an ark
  • auf der Arche — aboard the ark

Make “Arche” part of your vocabulary.

Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Get Vocabuo on the App StoreGet Vocabuo for Android

Examples

Noah baute eine große Arche aus Holz.noun

Noah built a large ark out of wood.

Keep exploring German

Learn words from the content you love.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play