noun
arc
ahk
noun
1
A curved line, especially part of the edge of a circle.
"The ball traced a wide arc across the sky."
"The bridge's cables form a graceful arc."
2
A story's overall shape or progression, especially a character's emotional or moral development.
"The show gave its villain a surprisingly sympathetic character arc."
3
A glowing discharge of electricity jumping across a gap, as in welding.
"Sparks flew as the electric arc jumped between the terminals."
verb
1
To move or curve along a path shaped like an arc.
"The rocket arced over the launch pad and out to sea."
How to Use Arc
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA curved line or path — or, in storytelling, the shape a character's journey takes over time.
Common pairings
story arc
character arc
electric arc
Word Forms
arced past tense, arcked past tense, arcs singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “arc”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The ball traced a wide _____ across the sky.
Etymology
From Latin arcus, "a bow or arch", the same root that gives us "arch" and "arrow".