arc

¹arc

noun \ˈärk\

Definition of ARC

1

: the apparent path described above and below the horizon by a celestial body (as the sun)

2

a : something arched or curved

b : a curved path <the arc of a fly ball>

3

: a sustained luminous discharge of electricity across a gap in a circuit or between electrodes; also : arc lamp

4

: a continuous portion (as of a circle or ellipse) of a curved line

5

: degree measurement on the circumference of a circle —used especially in the phrase of arc <11 minutes 3 seconds of arc>

6

: a continuous progression or line of development <a story's dramatic arc>

Examples of ARC

1. He bent the twig into an arc.
2. The ball floated in a high arc.

Origin of ARC

Middle English ark, from Anglo-French arc bow, from Latin arcus bow, arch, arc — more at arrow

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ARC

Synonyms

angle, bend, arch, bow, crook, curvature, curve, inflection, turn, wind

Related Words

kink, warp; circle, ring, ringlet, round; coil, curl, curlicue (also curlycue); buckle, convolution, flexure, fold, loop, spiral, swirl, twist, winding; incurvature, reflection; decline, inclination, incline, slope; corner, turnoff; dogleg, hairpin

Other Electrical Engineering Terms

feedback, fuse, incandescent, noise, resonance

Rhymes with ARC

ark, bark, dark, hark, lark, marc, MARC, mark, Mark, marque, narc, nark, park, Park, quark, sark, shark, spark, stark

²arc

intransitive verb

arced\ˈärkt\arc·ing \ˈär-kiŋ\

Definition of ARC

1

: to form an electric arc

2

: to follow an arc-shaped course

Examples of ARC

1. The arrow arced through the air.
2. A light arced across the sky.
3. The island chain arcs from north to south.

First Known Use of ARC

1893

Related to ARC

Synonyms

curve, arch, bend, bow, crook, fall off, hook, round, sweep, swerve, trend, wheel

Antonyms

straighten

Related Words

circle, coil, curlicue, curl, loop, spiral; turn, twist, wind; deviate, veer

Other Electrical Engineering Terms

feedback, fuse, incandescent, noise, resonance

³arc

adjective

Definition of ARC

: inverse 2 —used with the trigonometric functions and hyperbolic functions

Origin of ARC

arc sine arc or angle (corresponding to the) sine (of so many degrees)

First Known Use: circa 1949

ARC

abbreviation

Definition of ARC

1

AIDS-related complex

2

American Red Cross

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

arc

noun \ˈärk\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of ARC

1

: an arched or curved anatomical part, distance, or pathway—see reflex arc

2

: a sustained luminous discharge of electricity across a gap in a circuit or between electrodes