Word: acme (noun)

Associations

"Acme" means the highest point or the best stage of something. It often describes the peak or the most successful moment in a process or development.

• The acme of his career was when he won the Nobel Prize. This means the best or most important moment in his career.
• The city reached its acme in the 19th century when it was the richest in the country. This means the city was at its highest point of success then.
• The acme of the mountain is covered with snow. Here, it means the very top or peak of the mountain. "Acme" is similar to "peak" or "pinnacle." The difference is that "acme" is often used in formal or literary contexts, while "peak" is more common in everyday speech.

Substitution

You can use words like "peak," "pinnacle," "zenith," or "summit" instead of "acme."

• "Peak" is very common and can be used for both physical heights and figurative success.
• "Pinnacle" often suggests the highest point of achievement.
• "Zenith" is more poetic and means the highest point in the sky or success.
• "Summit" usually refers to the top of a mountain but can also mean a meeting of leaders. Changing the word can make the sentence sound more casual or more formal.

Deconstruction

"Acme" comes from the Greek word "akmē," which means "point" or "edge," especially the highest point of something. It does not have prefixes or suffixes in English; it is borrowed directly from Greek. Knowing this helps understand why "acme" means the highest or best point.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time in your life when you reached the "acme" of something, like your best performance or achievement?
• How would you describe the "acme" of a sports player's career?
• Can "acme" be used for things that are not about success, like the acme of a building or a mountain? How?