arrival

arrival — noun

1. the moment when a person, vehicle, or package reaches the place it was travellin

1.nounB1
Definition

the moment when a person, vehicle, or package reaches the place it was travelling to.

Example

Omar checked the screen for the arrival time of the Tokyo flight.

noun + of + place/event

On arrival at the hotel, guests are given a cold drink and a warm towel.

fixed phrase: on arrival at [place]

Common collocations
  • arrival time
  • expected arrival
  • on arrival
  • delayed arrival
  • safe arrival
Synonyms
  • coming

    more general; less formal than 'arrival'

  • landing

    specific to planes or boats touching down

Antonyms
  • departure

    the moment of leaving rather than reaching

Grammar Patterns

arrival of

arrival at/in

on arrival

Usage Note

Often uncountable when paired with 'on' or 'upon' as a fixed time-marker ('on arrival', 'upon arrival'). Countable when describing one specific event with 'an' or 'the'.

Common Mistakes

I will call you at my arrival.
I will call you on my arrival.
use 'on arrival', not 'at arrival'.

2. a baby just born into a family, often spoken about with warmth or excitement.

2.nounB2
Definition

a baby just born into a family, often spoken about with warmth or excitement.

Example

The Patel family is celebrating the new arrival, a healthy baby boy named Arjun.

collocation: new arrival = newborn

Grandma knitted a tiny blue blanket for the latest arrival.

the latest arrival = newest baby

Common collocations
  • new arrival
  • latest arrival
  • welcome the new arrival
Synonyms
  • newborn

    more clinical and direct

  • little one

    informal, affectionate; can also mean a small child

Grammar Patterns

new arrival

the latest arrival

Usage Note

Almost always appears with 'new' or 'latest' and is used in friendly, celebratory contexts such as cards, social media posts, or family announcements. Without 'new' the meaning shifts to sense 1 or 3.

Common Mistakes

They had an arrival yesterday.
They had a new arrival yesterday.
the 'baby' meaning needs 'new' or 'latest' in front.

3. someone who has just got to a place such as a city, school, country, or party —

3.nounB2
Definition

someone who has just got to a place such as a city, school, country, or party — used to talk about the person rather than the moment.

Example

Wen, a recent arrival from Berlin, sat quietly at the back of the classroom.

recent arrival from + place

The hostel owner greeted each new arrival with a hot cup of mint tea.

greeted each new arrival

Common collocations
  • new arrival
  • recent arrival
  • late arrival
  • newest arrival
Synonyms
  • newcomer

    very close in meaning; slightly more about being unfamiliar with the place

  • visitor

    guest who is staying briefly; doesn't imply 'just got here'

Antonyms
  • local

    person who has lived in the place for a long time

Grammar Patterns

new arrival

recent arrival

late arrival

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names the PERSON or thing, not the event. If you can replace the word with 'newcomer' or 'guest', you are in sense 3; if you can replace it with 'the time of getting there', you are in sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The new arrival was at 9 p.m.' (when meaning a person)
The new arrival was a tall woman from Madrid.
use sense 3 to describe a person, not a time.
Idioms

dead on arrival

idiom

A person who is already dead when they reach a hospital.

The paramedics knew the driver was dead on arrival.

Was the patient declared dead on arrival at the emergency room?

Word family

  • arrive
    verbA1
  • arriving
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words can describe someone or something showing up, but the contexts differ. 'Arrival' is the everyday neutral choice for travel, deliveries, and scheduled events; it works in formal notices ('on arrival') and casual talk alike. 'Coming' is broader and softer, often used about seasons, people, or abstract things ('the coming of spring'), and rarely fits airport timetables. 'Appearance' suggests becoming visible or noticed, sometimes briefly, and is common with public figures ('her appearance on the show'). 'Landing' is reserved for planes, helicopters, boats, or jumps — it pictures the touch-down moment, not the trip's end. So you say 'the arrival of the train' (scheduled), 'the coming of winter' (gradual), 'her appearance at the gala' (being seen), and 'a smooth landing' (touch-down).

arrival ↗coming ↗appearance ↗landing ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • arrival time
  • arrival hall
  • arrival date
  • arrival lounge

Adverbs

Phrases

  • awaiting arrival
  • announce the arrival
  • delay someone's arrival
  • welcome the arrival of

Prepositions

  • on arrival
  • upon arrival
  • arrival at
  • arrival in
  • arrival from

Etymology

LatinAnglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Arrival entered English in the 14th century from Anglo-French 'arrivaille', built on the verb 'ariver' meaning to come to shore. That verb traces back to Latin 'ad ripam', literally 'to the riverbank' — early travellers were often boat passengers, so 'reaching the bank' came to mean reaching anywhere. By the 1600s English speakers used the noun for any kind of coming, not just by water, and later extended it to people ('a new arrival') and even babies.