definitions

arc

[ ahrk ]
/ ɑrk /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR arc ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Geometry. any unbroken part of the circumference of a circle or other curved line.
Also called electric arc. Electricity. a luminous bridge formed in a gap between two electrodes.Compare spark1(def 2).
Astronomy. the part of a circle representing the apparent course of a heavenly body.
anything bow-shaped.

verb (used without object), arced [ahrkt] /ɑrkt/ or arcked, arc·ing [ahr-king] /ˈɑr kɪŋ/ or arck·ing.

to form an electric arc.
to move in a curve suggestive of an arc.

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RELATED WORDS

arch, curvature, bow, crescent, round, bend, half-moon

Nearby words

arbtrn., arbus, arbuscular mycorrhiza, arbuthnot, arbutus, arc, arc cos, arc cosecant, arc cosine, arc cot, arc cotangent

Origin of arc

1350–1400; Middle English ark < Latin arcus bow, arch, curve

Can be confused

arc ark

Definition for arc (2 of 4)

ARC

or A.R.C.

American Red Cross.

Definition for arc (3 of 4)

ARC

[ ahrk ]
/ ɑrk /

noun

Pathology. AIDS-related complex.

Definition for arc (4 of 4)

Arc, d'

[ dark ]
/ dark /

noun

Jeanne [zhahn] /ʒɑn/. Joan of Arc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for arc

British Dictionary definitions for arc (1 of 2)

arc

/ (ɑːk) /

noun

verb arcs, arcing, arced, arcs, arcking or arcked

(intr) to form an arc

prefix

maths specifying an inverse trigonometric function: usually written arcsin, arctan, arcsec, etc, or sometimes sin –1, tan –1, sec –1, etc

Word Origin for arc

C14: from Old French, from Latin arcus bow, arch

British Dictionary definitions for arc (2 of 2)

ARC

abbreviation for

AIDS-related complex: an early condition in which a person infected with the AIDS virus may suffer from such mild symptoms as loss of weight, fever, etc
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for arc (1 of 2)

arc

[ ärk ]

n.

A curved line or segment of a circle.

Medicine definitions for arc (2 of 2)

ARC

abbr.

AIDS-related complex
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for arc

arc

[ ärk ]

A segment of a circle.
See electric arc.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.