Meanings
plural arc lamps · alternative arc-lamp
- An electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light.
The vague and careless rain looked like threads of gossamer silver passing across the light of the arc-lamps.
1922, Michael Arlen, “Ep./1/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days1 more example
This led him to the station; and the square in front of it, vivid with arc-lamps, noisy with the yellow trams that seemed to cross it in all directions, made him laugh aloud with joy.
1915, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 40, in Of Human BondageSynonyms: arclight
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna lamp that produces light when electric current flows across the gap between two electrodes
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Danish buelampe, kulbuelampe
- buelampean electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
- kulbuelampean electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Dutch booglamp
- booglampan electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Finnish kaarilamppu
- kaarilamppuan electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Irish arclampa
- arclampaan electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Japanese アーク灯
- アーク灯 (āku tō)an electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Swedish båglampa
- båglampaan electric arc arranged so as to produce useful light
Cite this entry
arc lamp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arc%20lamp
“arc lamp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arc%20lamp. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “arc lamp,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/arc%20lamp.
Source: arc lamp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.