electric arc

American  

noun

1. arc.

---

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.

---

Etymology

Origin of electric arc

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

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

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

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

Talks on scrapping tariffs on UK steel are on hold, with US officials raising concerns over Tata's shift from blast furnaces to new electric arc furnaces, due in 2027.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2025

The electric arc is, as we all know, a very powerful light, in fact it can be made the most powerful of all, but its light is decidedly bluish.

From Marvels of Scientific Invention An Interesting Account in Non-technical Language of the Invention of Guns, Torpedoes, Submarine Mines, Up-to-date Smelting, Freezing, Colour Photography, and many other recent Discoveries of Science by Corbin, Thomas W.