n.
Pronunciation: ə - ' rir
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English arrere behind, backward, from Anglo-French arere, from Vulgar Latin *ad retro backward, from Latin ad to + retro backward, behind ― more at AT , RETRO-
Date: 1620
1 : the state of being behind in the discharge of obligations ― usually used in plural <in arrear s with the rent>
2 a : an unfinished duty ― usually used in plural < arrear s of work that have piled up> b : an unpaid and overdue debt ― usually used in plural <paying off the arrear s of the past several months>