Plural of arc; curved lines or portions of circles. In storytelling, refers to character development paths or narrative progressions.
From Latin 'arcus' meaning bow (as in bow and arrow), referring to the curved shape. The mathematical and geometric sense developed from this original meaning of a bent or curved form.
Story arcs mirror the mathematical concept perfectly - characters follow curved paths of development rather than straight lines. The term 'arc' connects ancient archery with modern narrative theory, both dealing with trajectories and destinations.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.