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arc

AHRK/ɑɹk/UKAHK/ɑːk/

Pluralarcs

Verbarcs, arcing, arced

12 meanings of arc

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  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A curved line or shape, like part of a circle.

    The road goes around the lake in a wide arc.

    The ball flew through the air in a high arc.

    UsageSay something moves in an arc.

    Similarcurve, arch, bow, sweep

    Note
  2. 2
    story linenounabbreviationellipsis
    Short for story arc. How a story or character develops from start to end, in one book or many episodes.

    This season's main arc is about two sisters looking for their father.

    My favorite arc in the comic is the one set on the moon.

    UsagePut the character or kind of change before arc: the hero's arc, a redemption arc.

    Note
  3. 3
    electric flashnouncountable
    Electricity passing through something that normally stops it, often as a hot, bright flash like lightning.

    A blue arc jumped between the two wires with a loud crack.

    Welders wear dark masks because the arc is so bright.

    UsageWelders strike an arc to melt metal.

    Note
  4. 4
    basketballnounslangcountable
    The line in basketball where shots from behind it are worth three points.

    She hit two shots from behind the arc.

    Stand outside the arc and try a long shot.

    UsageSay a shot is from beyond the arc.

    Note
  5. 5
    follow a curveverbtransitive or intransitive
    To move along a curved line, or to make something move that way.

    Try to arc the ball over the wall of players.

    A bird arced over the river and landed on the other side.

    UsageWrite arced and arcing.

    Similarcurve, sweep, lob

  6. 6
    stage in lifenounslangcountable
    A time or stage in a person's life.

    I'm in my baking arc right now, so expect a lot of cake.

    Remember my skateboard arc in high school?

    Similarphase, period, stage, era

    Note
  7. 7
    make sparksverbintransitive
    To make a hot, bright flash as electricity jumps across a gap.

    The old plug began to arc when I pushed it into the wall.

    Blue sparks flew as the two cables arced.

    UsagePower lines can arc to a tree.

    Similarspark

  8. 8
    graph linknouncountable
    A link between two points in a graph that goes one way only.

    Draw an arc from point A to point B to show the one-way link.

    Each arc in the diagram shows one web page linking to another.

    Note

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Origin

From the Latin word arcus, meaning “a bow” or “an arch”.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 2 facts