In Euclidean geometry, an arc (symbol: ⌒) is a connected subset of a differentiable curve. Arcs of lines are called segments or rays, depending whether they are bounded or not. A common curved example is an arc of a circle, called a circular arc. In a sphere (or a spheroid), an arc of a great circle (or a great ellipse) is called a great arc.
Every pair of distinct points on a circle determines two arcs. If the two points are not directly opposite each other, one of these arcs, the minor arc, will subtend an angle at the centre of the circle that is less than π radians (180 degrees), and the other arc, the major arc, will subtend an angle greater than π radians.