Home › Words › A › arreararrear/əˈɹɪə/arrear means towards the rear, backwards.arrear is pronounced /əˈɹɪə/.EtymologyFrom Middle English arere, from Old French arere, from Vulgar Latin *ad retro (literally “to the rear”).advTowards the rear, backwards.e.g.“She, (Ladie) having well before approoved / The feends to be too cruell and severe, / Observ'd th' appointed way, as her behooved, / Ne ever did her ey-sight turne arere [...].” — 1591, Edmund Spenser, Virgil's Gnat, ll. 465-8:Behind time; overdue.e.g.“In case the annuity should be arrear for sixty days being lawfully demanded, then the trustee might enter upon the premises assigned [...].” — 1803, Edward Hyde East, Reports of cases Argued and determined in the Court of King's Bench, volume 3, London, published 1814, page 559:nounWork to be done, obligation.e.g.“November 4, 1866, James David Forbes, letter to E. C. Batten I have a large arrear of letters to write.”Unpaid debt.e.g.“fall into arrears”That which is in the rear or behind.Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).Words closest in meaningBy meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.arrearage 73% match — The condition of being in arrears. vs arrear →arrears 73% match — The state of having outstanding debt or liabilities. vs arrear →backlogged 58% match — Having an excessive list of tasks to do, especially tasks that should have already been performed. vs arrear →devoir 56% match — Duty, business; something that one must do. vs arrear →default 56% match — The condition of failing to meet an obligation. vs arrear →agendum 56% match — A task which ought to be done. vs arrear →accruable 55% match — Able to be accrued. vs arrear →due 54% match — Owed or owing. vs arrear →