arrow
A-roh
Arrow (noun) means a thin, pointed shaft shot from a bow. Example: “The arrow flew across the field and landed in the centre of the target.”
noun
1
A thin, pointed shaft shot from a bow.
"The arrow flew across the field and landed in the centre of the target."
"He pulled another arrow from the quiver on his back."
"The archer nocked an arrow and took aim."
2
A symbol shaped like a shaft with a point, used to show direction.
"Click the arrow at the top of the screen to go back."
"Follow the yellow arrows to the exit."
"She drew an arrow pointing to the mistake."
verb
1
To move quickly and directly toward something, like a shot arrow.
"The swallow arrowed across the lake and vanished into the reeds."
"The skier arrowed straight down the slope without slowing once."
"The car arrowed down the empty motorway."
How to use arrow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the pointed weapon shot from a bow, or a direction-pointing symbol shaped like one.
Common pairings
bow and arrow
arrow points to
straight as an arrow
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Word forms
- Plural
- arrows
- Third person singular
- arrows
- Past tense
- arrowed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ flew across the field and landed in the centre of the target.
Etymology
From Old English earh, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for "arrow," related to Latin arcus ("bow") — a distant cousin of "arc."
Related words
Rhymes for arrow
See all rhymes for arrow →Frequently asked questions
What does “arrow” mean?
The word “arrow” means a thin, pointed shaft shot from a bow. In plain terms, either the pointed weapon shot from a bow, or a direction-pointing symbol shaped like one.
How do you pronounce “arrow”?
“Arrow” is pronounced A-roh (/ˈæɹə/ in IPA).
How do you use “arrow” in a sentence?
Here is “arrow” used in a sentence: “The archer nocked an arrow and took aim.”
What part of speech is “arrow”?
Depending on how it is used, “arrow” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “arrow” come from?
The word “arrow” comes from Latin. From Old English earh, going back to a Proto-Germanic word for "arrow," related to Latin arcus ("bow") — a distant cousin of "arc.".
Is “arrow” a common word?
“Arrow” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “arrow” have?
“Arrow” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a thin, pointed shaft shot from a bow.
What is the difference between an 'arrow' and a 'dart'?
An arrow is a long, thin shaft shot from a bow, while a dart is a shorter pointed object usually thrown by hand or blown from a tube. Both have a sharp point, but only an arrow is designed to be launched from a bow.
What is the difference between an 'arrow' and a 'bow'?
The bow is the curved, flexible weapon that stores and releases energy, while the arrow is the pointed shaft the bow launches toward a target. You draw a bow to shoot an arrow, so the two work together but are not the same object.
What are the 'arrow keys' on a keyboard?
The arrow keys are four keys marked with directional arrow symbols, pointing up, down, left, and right, used to move the cursor or navigate on screen. Here 'arrow' refers to the pointed symbol that shows direction rather than the weapon.
What is the difference between an 'arrow' and a 'bolt'?
An arrow is shot from a standard bow and has feather-like fletching for stability, while a bolt is a shorter, heavier projectile fired from a crossbow. The words are not interchangeable when describing which weapon is used.
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