electric arc

American  

noun

1. arc.

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electric arc Scientific  

1. An electric current, often strong, brief, and luminous, in which electrons jump across a gap. Electric arcs across specially designed electrodes can produce very high heats and bright light, and are used for such purposes as welding and illumination in spotlights. Unwanted arcs in electrical circuits can cause fires. Lightning is a case of an electric arc between one cloud and the earth or another cloud, as are sparks caused by discharges of static electricity.

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Etymology

Origin of electric arc

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Chief Executive Rajat Marwah said the company is encouraged by the early performance of its first electric arc furnace, which he said is operating continuously and meeting product quality specifications.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

The loss was driven by the tariff costs and lower shipments of steel, as well as the company’s accelerated transition toward making its steel using electric arc furnaces, Algoma said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

But 400,000 tonnes of material has now been cleared from the site, and up to 1,200 workers will help in constructing a new £1.25bn electric arc furnace which will melt scrap steel.

From BBC • Sep. 29, 2025

A relatively low supply of scrap steel in China, versus demand, has slowed the rollout of electric arc furnaces there, according to some analyses.

From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025

An electric arc is far preferable to a lime-light, both because the shadows are sharper, and because the colours are so much more brilliant.

From Soap-Bubbles and the Forces Which Mould Them by Boys, C. V. (Charles Vernon)