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:
But McVay also noted that he was in contact with Donald almost daily, and hinted that “if there’s an arrow, it’s trending upwards.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Every morning, my watch buzzed at 6 a.m., and I’d step outside into the soft dark, find the first arrow and start walking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
But there's debate about whether the arrow was actually in the original version of the tapestry or added during a 19th Century restoration.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Using the newly developed control protocols, researchers can suppress the usual emergence of the arrow of time or even reverse its apparent direction, making quantum processes look as though they are unfolding backward.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 3, 2026
The arrow did vanish earlier when Auntie North had entered the room.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
"Parents and grandparents prayed their children would have hearts like the White Arrow, never straying from the proper path," says Elfrida Natkime, a young Amungme woman.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
And there is at least one product on the market, PlasticTox by Arrow Lab Solutions, that makes at-home blood and saliva tests that estimate the number and size of microplastic particles you carry.
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
"Thank you for the support I've received over what has been an incredibly difficult and uncertain period in my life," said Arrow.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
The most heavily relied upon prop for outdoor pictures was the family Pierce Arrow, parked with top down in the driveway.
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 other side of the coin features a version of the US presidential seal, depicting an eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch while covered by a shield that says "250."
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
But the Camino handed me a few thousand yellow arrows that were enough to get me home.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
Computer simulations showed the structures as swirling arrays of arrows that illustrate how different properties of light change direction across the Poisson spot.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Shooting stars with figures riding at the tail end, animals talking to each other at the park, even the golden arrows that had led him to the book.
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.
