arc
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.
to form an electric arc.
to move in a curve suggestive of an arc.
Origin of arc
1Words that may be confused with arc
- arc , ark
Other definitions for ARC (2 of 3)
Pathology. AIDS-related complex.
Other definitions for ARC (3 of 3)
American Red Cross.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use arc in a sentence
The week ahead will help us all learn where he is on that arc — as a threat to win the tournament or as a teller of tales.
At the Masters, Tiger Woods walks in two worlds: Yarn-spinning legend and defending champ | Barry Svrluga | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostIt’s not exactly pleasant to watch, but it’s a key moment for her arc.
Robinson opened Game 2 by making four of his six first-quarter 3-point attempts and ended the game with a total of 12 shots taken from behind the arc.
The Heat Need Duncan Robinson’s 3-Pointers Now More Than Ever | Andres Waters | October 2, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightA year after an epic unraveling, the Tampa Bay Lightning have completed their redemption arc.
The Tampa Bay Lightning Finally Delivered On Their Stanley Cup Potential | Terrence Doyle | September 29, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightShe’s about 40, I’m 51 now, where we are, I think — David Brooks wrote this great book called The Second Mountain where he talks about as you go through your life arc, you begin to recognize what’s really important.
Even as he watched, the flare of its rockets arced against the blackness.
A World is Born | Leigh Douglass BrackettThe lid arced above her, and the white of either side of the ebony iris shone faintly in the half darkness.
The Jewels of Aptor | Samuel R. DelanyHe arced a short distance along the curve of the ship and then forced himself down into contact with the hull.
The Memory of Mars | Raymond F. JonesA clatter and a swoosh, and a cylinder arced gracefully, catching me almost by surprise.
Cue for Quiet | Thomas L. SherredAs it rose, it grew perceptibly larger, to dwindle again as it arced over the western horizon.
Astounding Stories, July, 1931 | Various
British Dictionary definitions for arc (1 of 2)
/ (ɑːk) /
something curved in shape
part of an unbroken curved line
a luminous discharge that occurs when an electric current flows between two electrodes or any other two surfaces separated by a small gap and a high potential difference
astronomy a circular section of the apparent path of a celestial body
maths a section of a curve, graph, or geometric figure
(intr) to form an arc
maths specifying an inverse trigonometric function: usually written arcsin, arctan, arcsec, etc, or sometimes sin –1, tan –1, sec –1, etc
Origin of arc
1British Dictionary definitions for ARC (2 of 2)
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
Scientific definitions for arc
[ ärk ]
A segment of a circle.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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