plural arcs
1
: the apparent path described above and below the horizon by a celestial body (such as the sun)
2
a
: something arched or curved
b
: a curved path
the arc of a fly ball
c
basketball
: three-point line
At week's end he was shooting 40.0% from behind the arc and averaging 19.6 points.—
Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor3
: 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
1
: to form an electric arc (see arc entry 1 sense 3)
2
: to follow an arc-shaped course
The ball arced across the sky.
: to throw, hit, or kick (something, such as a ball) on a high, arc-shaped course
After driving into the long rough, he reached for a 4-wood and arced the ball just wide of the green.—Jeff Shain
Jeff Shain
mathematics
: inverse sense 2
—used with the trigonometric functions and hyperbolic functions
1
AIDS-related complex
2
American Red Cross
ARC
5 of 5abbreviation or noun
plural ARCs
: a copy of a printed work (such as a novel or textbook) sent as a promotion prior to the official release
First, I receive a box of paperback, smaller versions of my book called advance reader copies (ARCs).—Susan Van Kirk
Susan Van KirkWhile some houses like Chronicle Books continued to sell on the show floor, albeit at 50% discount, many publishers offered free ARCs …—Judith Rosen
Judith RosenExamples of arc in a Sentence
Noun
He bent the twig into an arc.
The ball floated in a high arc.
Verb
The arrow arced through the air.
A light arced across the sky.
The island chain arcs from north to south.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
The wrench has a fine ratchet that can apply force with a swing arc as small as 4-degrees.
—Gabriel Morgan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2025
The Frenchman’s shot was a high, arcing ball that took a big hop on the green, bounced on more time and then rolled true into the heart of the hole.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arc
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Noun
The best places to see the Midnight Sun stretch like a golden arc across Norway’s north.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
The wrench has a fine ratchet that can apply force with a swing arc as small as 4-degrees.
—Gabriel Morgan, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 June 2025
Verb
Chesnais designed a collection of cutlery featuring looping and arcing forms, similar to her jewelry, called Carrousel.
—Angela Tafoya, Architectural Digest, 17 June 2025
The Frenchman’s shot was a high, arcing ball that took a big hop on the green, bounced on more time and then rolled true into the heart of the hole.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for arc
Cite this Entry
“Arc.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arc. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
arc
1 of 2 noun1
a
: something curved
b
: a curved path
2
: a glowing flow of electricity across a gap in a circuit or between electrodes
3
: a continuous portion of a curved line (as part of the circumference of a circle)
arc
2 of 2 verb1
: to form an electric arc
2
: to follow an arc-shaped course
Medical Definition
arc
1 of 2 noun1
: 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
ARC
2 of 2 abbreviation1
AIDS-related complex
2
American Red Cross
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