Phrase guide

story arc

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˈstɔː.ɹi ɑːk/
  • US: /ˈstɔː.ɹi ɑɹk/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The chronological construction of a plot or storyline, especially one specific to a particular character or plot aspect; an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television or comic books.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, narratology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: narrative arc

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From story + arc.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مُنْعَطَف القِصَّة (munʕaṭaf al-qiṣṣa) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Arabic: تَسَلْسُل أَحْدَاث (tasalsul ʔaḥdāṯ) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Chinese Mandarin: 故事弧 (gùshìhú) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Chinese Mandarin: 劇情綫 /剧情线 (jùqíngxiàn) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Chinese Mandarin: 情節綫 /情节线 (qíngjiéxiàn) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Esperanto: rakontarko — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Finnish: tarinakaari — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Finnish: juoni — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • French: arc narratif — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Galician: arco narrativo — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Italian: arco narrativo — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Japanese: 編 (hen) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Japanese: アーク (āku) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Korean: 스토리 아크 (seutori akeu) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Polish: akcja — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Portuguese: arco de história — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Russian: сюже́тная ли́ния (sjužétnaja línija) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Russian: сюже́тная а́рка (sjužétnaja árka) — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Spanish: arco narrativo — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Spanish: arco argumental — narrative line within a fictional plot
  • Swedish: båge — narrative line within a fictional plot