archery

American  

[ahr-chuh-ree] / ˈɑr tʃə ri /

noun

1. the art, practice, or skill of an archer.

2. archers collectively, as in an army.

3. the equipment of an archer, as bows and arrows.

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archery British  

/ ˈɑːtʃərɪ /

noun

1. the art or sport of shooting with bows and arrows

2. archers or their weapons collectively

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Etymology

Origin of archery

1350–1400; Middle English archerye < Middle French archerie, equivalent to arch ( i ) er archer + -ie -y ³

Explanation

If you like to shoot arrows at a target with a bow, you're a fan of archery. Athletes who compete in archery are called archers. If you decide to try archery, you'll need a bow and some arrows, and ideally a target. These days, archery is mainly a hobby or a sport, but archery was originally a way for people to hunt for food or defend themselves from enemies. In Anglo-French, the word is archerye, from the Latin root arcus, or "bow."

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