What is the meaning of the furniture term Cusped Arch?

A cusped arch refers to an architectural feature commonly employed in furniture design. It consists of an arch with projecting points or curves, known as cusps, at the intersection of the archs extrados (outer curve) and intrados (inner curve). The cusps can display a range of shapes such as trefoil (three lobes), quatrefoil (four lobes), or even more intricate designs. This type of arch is often seen in Gothic and Moorish styles of furniture, where it adds decorative detail and serves as a visual focal point. Gothic detail of pointed arch with pointed break into the curve.