Meaning and usage of the word arrive at in English

The origin of the word "arrive at" can be traced back to the 16th century. At that time, the phrase "arrive to" was commonly used, meaning to reach a specific destination or location. However, over time, the use of "to" as a preposition in this context became less popular, and "at" replaced it. The verb "arrive" itself comes from the Middle English "ariven," which was derived from the Old French "arrivenue," meaning arrival or coming. This term was adopted from the Latin "advenire," which means "to come to" or "to approach." So, in summary, the phrase "arrive at" is a modernized version of the original phrase "arrive to," where "at" replaced "to" as the preposition due to changes in grammatical usage over time. The term itself represents the action of reaching a specific point or location.