1
: an administrative district of some large French cities
2
: the largest division of a French department

Examples of arrondissement in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Tonight, at a luxury hotel in the 8th arrondissement, Frasers Group CEO Michael Murray is hosting a cocktail party during Paris Fashion Week. — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026 The Musée Nissim de Camondo, which houses one of the finest collections of 18th-century art in France, is located in Paris’s upscale 8th arrondissement. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 The brand invented its own Transformation Backstage freestanding area, in Paris’ 11th arrondissement, where celebrities and influencers are getting their hair done. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 Geoffroy Boulard, mayor of the 17th arrondissement, reported that one of the victims was pregnant in a statement shared on X. — Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 27 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for arrondissement

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, "action of making round or rounding off, circumscription of boundaries, extension of a territory, subdivision of a French department," going back to Middle French, "rounding off," from arrondiss-, variant stem of arrondir "to make round, round off" (going back to Old French arondir, from a-, prefix forming transitive verbs — going back to Latin ad- ad- — + -rondir, verbal derivative of reund, rond round entry 1) + -ment -ment

First Known Use

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of arrondissement was in 1746

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Cite this Entry

“Arrondissement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arrondissement. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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