arc
[ ahrk ]
/ ɑrk /
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.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of arc
1350–1400; Middle English ark<Latin arcus bow, arch, curve
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH arc
arc , arkWords nearby arc
arbtrn., Arbus, arbuscular mycorrhiza, Arbuthnot, arbutus, arc, arca, arcade, arcaded, arcade game, Arcadia
Definition for arc (2 of 3)
Definition for arc (3 of 3)
ARC2
or A.R.C.
American Red Cross.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences 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
Medical definitions for arc (1 of 2)
arc
[ ärk ]
n.
A curved line or segment of a circle.
Medical 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.
Scientific 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.