Definition of arc

The word "arc" has its roots in Latin. The Latin word "arcus" means "bow" or "circle", and it is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "wrektos", which means "to bend" or "to curve". This root is also seen in other words such as "wrinkle" and "wreck". The Latin word "arcus" was used to describe a bow made of leather or wood, but it also referred to a curved course or path. This sense of "arc" as a curved shape or path was inherited by Old French and Middle English, where it meant "arch" or "circular shape". In modern English, the word "arc" has taken on a range of meanings, including a segment of a circle, a bow-like shape, or an electrical circuit. The word has also been used in various scientific and technical contexts, such as in geology to describe the shape of a glacier, or in physics to describe the trajectory of a projectile.