arrow
noun
a slender, straight, generally pointed missile or weapon made to be shot from a bow and equipped with feathers at the end of the shaft near the nock, for controlling flight.
arrow
1 American
[ar-oh]
/ ˈær oʊ /
noun
-
arrows
plural
-
a slender, straight, generally pointed missile or weapon made to be shot from a bow and equipped with feathers at the end of the shaft near the nock, for controlling flight.
-
anything resembling an arrow in form, function, or character.
-
a linear figure having a wedge-shaped end, as one used on a map or architectural drawing, to indicate direction or placement.
-
Astronomy. Arrow, the constellation Sagitta.
verb (used with object)
Arrow
2
American
[ar-oh]
/ ˈær oʊ /
noun
arrow
British
/ ˈærəʊ /
noun
-
a long slender pointed weapon, usually having feathers fastened at the end as a balance, that is shot from a bow
-
any of various things that resemble an arrow in shape, function, or speed, such as a sign indicating direction or position
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of arrow
First recorded before 900; Middle English arewe, arwe, Old English earh; cognate with Old Norse ǫr (plural ǫrvar ), Gothic arhwazna; unattested Germanic arhwō (feminine), akin to Latin arcus (genitive arcūs ) “bow, arc”; thus unattested Latin arku- “bow,” and unattested pre-Germanic arku-ā “belonging to the bow”; see arc
Explanation
An arrow is a pointed weapon that's shot with a bow. If you enjoy archery, you like to shoot arrows at a target. A bow consists of a piece of wood, metal, or plastic that has a flexible string connected to each end, and an arrow is the smaller, sharp-ended projectile that's held as the string is stretched back. When the string is released, the arrow flies. The Old English source of arrow is earh, which most likely comes from an Old Norse root.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"This research is achieved by team effort. There is an old Japanese saying: 'One arrow is easy to break, but three arrows bundled together are not,'" Mizuno said.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
“When you’re in your 40s, it’s like you’re pointing an arrow at your head,” Abend said, as if daring those around you to speculate about whether you get work done.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
The law also prohibits throwing a “stone, pellet, bullet, arrow or any other missile, in, over, across, along or upon any street or sidewalk or in any public park.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
With his trusty bow and arrow, he hunts game and safeguards his twin sister Asa – who, for unexplained reasons, resides behind bars in a dark cell.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
She stood in the grass for a few minutes, staring at the arrow in her hand but not really seeing it.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Back-up freight vessel MV Arrow is also set to return to the island while the Manxman is out of action.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Alan Morrison, chief executive of Arrow Lab, says the company has a painstaking process to review each kit component to prevent contamination.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
“It grossly mischaracterizes the facts and the claim that Quill & Arrow created fabricated attorney billing records is absurd,” the firm said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
Reports later suggested that stocks of the more advanced Arrow interceptor system had fallen dangerously low.
From Barron's ● May 16, 2026
He’d walk into a factory like the Zeiss works in Germany or the Pierce Arrow plant in this country and announce that he could speed up production by one-fourth.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
Scroll to the right or click the arrows to see the full map.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
The bows, arrows, daggers, and maces found in their tombs were often interpreted as ceremonial objects rather than equipment the women had actually used.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
It’s a mix of woodland trails and roads following a chain of yellow arrows on stone walls or sidewalks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Green arrows representing tourist-laden jets pile up on the screens of the Athens air traffic controllers, a puzzle to solve at the height of tourist season.
From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026
The moving shadows, the dream, the golden arrows.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
