Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “arc” come from?

Arc derives from Middle English ark, from Old French arc, from Latin arcus meaning "bow," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂erkʷo-.

arc (English): That part of a circle which a heavenly body...

Definitions

  1. That part of a circle which a heavenly body...

Ancestry of “arc”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglisharkThe path of the sun across the sky
2Old Frencharcbow; arch
3Latinarcusarc, arch; bow; rainbow
4Latinsoliumseat, chair; throne, chair of state, official...
5Proto-Indo-Europeansodyom—
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḗd-—

Words derived from “arc”

  • forearc
  • arcsec
  • backarc
  • arcmin
  • arcsecond
  • arclength
  • arcminute
  • hyperarc
  • milliarcsec
  • arclight
  • semiarc
  • milliarcsecond
  • subarc
  • microarcsecond
  • subarcsecond
  • microarcsec
  • arclet
  • arcking
  • subarcmin
  • subarcminute
  • multiarc
  • oxyarc
  • arcover
  • アーク
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḗd- →