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.
Showing results for arrow.
Search instead for
arroz.
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
“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
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
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
She felt it then: him gliding through the air like a bird, and she let the arrow go.
From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack
Rook I, one of the world’s largest undeveloped projects, hosts the Arrow uranium deposit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 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
It supports American jobs, American weapons production and American participation in the advanced technology pioneered by Israel—such as Iron Dome, Iron Beam, Arrow 3 and David’s Sling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 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
It was called the California Arrow, though Red Rabbit was a rocket compared to it.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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
No need to untangle the complex hypocrisy here — it’s all laid out in arrows and diagrams.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
Interpreted this way, the Einstein–Rosen bridge acts as a mirror in spacetime: a connection between two microscopic arrows of time.
From Science Daily ● May 22, 2026
Observations show the people use narrow outrigger canoes, live in large communal huts, carry spears, bows and arrows, and wear fibre waistbelts, as well as necklaces and headbands.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
He pictured his father on the journey to the Land of the Dead -the land where arrows are plentiful, and the hunt· never fails.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
