Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
archives - 3 dictionary results

ar⋅chive

[ahr-kahyv] noun, verb, -chived, -chiv⋅ing.
–noun
1. Usually, archives. documents or records relating to the activities, business dealings, etc., of a person, family, corporation, association, community, or nation.
2. archives, a place where public records or other historical documents are kept.
3. any extensive record or collection of data: The encyclopedia is an archive of world history. The experience was sealed in the archive of her memory.
–verb (used with object)
4. to place or store in an archive: to vote on archiving the city's historic documents.

Origin:
1595–1605; orig., as pl. < F archives < L archī(v)a < Gk archeîa, orig. pl. of archeîon public office, equiv. to arch() magistracy, office + -eion suffix of place
ar·chive   (är'kīv')   
n.  
  1. A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of historical interest. Often used in the plural: old land deeds in the municipal archives.
  2. Computer Science
    1. A long-term storage area, often on magnetic tape, for backup copies of files or for files that are no longer in active use.
    2. A file containing one or more files in compressed format for more efficient storage and transfer.
  3. A repository for stored memories or information: the archive of the mind.
tr.v.   ar·chived, ar·chiv·ing, ar·chives
  1. To place or store in an archive.
  2. Computer Science To copy or compress (a file) into an archive.

[From French archives, from Latin archīva, from Greek arkheia, pl. of arkheion, town hall, from arkhē, government, from arkhein, to rule.]

archives 
1603, from Fr. archif, from L.L. archivum (sing.), from Gk. ta arkheia "public records," pl. of arkheion "town hall," from arkhe "government," lit. "beginning, origin, first place" (see archon). The verb is first attested 1934.
Language Translation for : archives
Spanish: archivo,
German: das Archiv,
Japanese: 公文書館
Search another word or see archives on Thesaurus | Reference