Glossary of archery terms

This is a list of archery terms, including both the equipment and the practice. A brief description for each word or phrase is also included.

A[]

• anchor point – A point to be touched by the draw hand or string when the bow is fully drawn and ready to shoot, usually a point on the archer's mouth, chin or nose
• AMO (organization) – The Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Organization (now known as the ATA)
• AMO length (measure) – A standardized length for measuring bow strings
• arbalest – A late variation of the crossbow that came into use in Europe during the 12th century
• archer (practitioner) – One who practices archery (a.k.a. bowman)
• archer's paradox (effect) – The effect produced by an arrow flexing as it leaves the bow
• archery (practice) – The practice of using a bow to shoot arrows
• arm guard (equipment) – A protective strap or sheath for an archer's forearm (a.k.a. bracer)
• arrow (equipment) – A shafted projectile that is shot with a bow
• arrowhead (equipment) – The front end of an arrow; also known as the head, point or tip
• arrow rest (equipment) – A device used to hold an arrow against a handle until it is released
• ATA (organization) – The Archery Trade Association (formerly known as the AMO)
• A.T.A. (measure) – Acronym for axle-to-axle, the length between the two pivotal axles which hold the cams onto the limbs on a compound bow
• ASA — Archery Shooters Association

B[]

• bodkin point (equipment) – A sharp, pointed arrow head
• bolt (equipment) – A crossbow projectile; also called a quarrel
• boss (equipment) – A target, typically made from tightly compacted foam or straw
• bowman (practitioner) – One who practices archery (a.k.a. archer)
• bow (equipment) – An ancient weapon powered by elasticity, used for hunting and sport
• bowfishing (practice) – The use of archery equipment for catching fish
• bowhunting (practice) – The practice of hunting game using archery
• bow string (equipment) – A fiber joining two ends of a bow for launching arrows
• bowyer (craftsman) – One who makes bows
• bracing (practice) – The act of attaching a bow string to a bow
• brace height (measure) – The distance from the string to the pivot point of the bow's grip
• bracer (equipment) – A protective strap or sheath for an archer's forearm (a.k.a. arm guard)
• broadhead (equipment) – A sharp-bladed hunting head
• bullseye (equipment) – The central area of a target, often for which a greater number of points may be scored when hit
• butts (location) – A practice field with mounds of earth used as targets
• button (equipment) – An adjustable spring-loaded contact for the arrow as it sits on the rest, mounted perpendicular to the arrow

C[]

• clicker (equipment) – A device used to indicate an archer's optimum draw length
• clout archery (practice) – A form of archery in which archers shoot arrows toward a flag (known as the clout) from a relatively long distance and are scored based on how close each arrow lands to the flag
• cock feather (equipment) – A differently-colored fletch that indicates proper arrow alignment on the string (a.k.a. index feather)
• composite bow (equipment) – A bow made from various laminated materials
• compound bow (equipment) – A modern bow that uses a system of cables and pulleys
• crest (equipment) – Heraldic markings on an arrow used for identification or design
• crossbow (equipment) – A bow mounted on a stock, which shoots projectiles called bolts or quarrels
• crown (equipment) – The nock end of an arrow where cresting and paints are applied

D[]

• daikyu (equipment) – A Japanese longbow
• decurve bow (equipment) – A form of bow in which the unstrung tips curve toward the archer
• deflex bow (equipment) – A form of bow in which the entire length of the handle and limbs curve toward the archer
• drawing (practice) – The act of pulling the string that is attached to the bow
• draw length (measure) – Archer: individual measure. At full draw the distance in inches from nock point on bow string to deepest grip spot (pivot-point) plus 1+3⁄4 inches (44 mm) (AMO standard). Bow: characteristic measure of the bow together with its draw weight. The technically given optimal draw length for full draw of that bow (AMO standard). Draw weight of a bow means weight at its draw length.
• draw weight (measure) – The number of pounds of force required to draw a bow to its draw length
• dry loosing (practice) – Refers to the loosing of the string of a bow without an arrow on the nock, potentially damaging the bow

E[]

• end (practice) – A round of arrows shot during an archery event (rarely more than six)^[1]
• English longbow (equipment) – A powerful medieval bow; also known as the Welsh longbow

F[]

• field archery (practice) – Shooting at targets of unmarked distances in an open field
• field tip (equipment) – A practice head for targets
• finger tab (equipment) – A small leather patch to protect the archer's fingers
• fistmele (measure) – The proper distance between the handle of a bow and the bow string when the bow is strung (a.k.a. brace height)
• flatbow (equipment) – A non-recurved bow with a rectangular cross section
• fletching (equipment) – The stabilizing fins or vanes of an arrow
• fletcher (craftsman) – One who makes arrows
• flex (measure) – The amount of bend an arrow shaft provides; contrasted with spine
• flu-flu arrow (equipment) – A specially designed short-range arrow
• footed arrow (equipment) – An arrow with a shaft composed of two types of wood

G[]

• gungdo (practice) – The Korean practice of archery

H[]

Fletching showing index feather (a.k.a. cock feather – green) and hen feathers (pink)

• hankyu (equipment) – A short Japanese bow
• hybrid (equipment) – A term to describe the combination of a recurve and a longbow, also known as "reflex-deflex"
• head (equipment) – The front end of an arrow; also known as the arrowhead, point or tip
• hen feather (equipment) – Name given to the shaft feathers based on misunderstanding of cock (leading) feather
• horse archer (practitioner) – An archer mounted on a horse
• horse archery (practice) – Archery mounting on a horse

I[]

• index fletching (equipment) – A differently-colored fletch that indicates proper arrow alignment (a.k.a. cock fletching)

J[]

• judo point (equipment) – A target and small-game head equipped with spring wires for easy location

K[]

• kisser (equipment) – A button used to indicate consistent vertical distance when drawing a bow
• kyūdō (practice) – The Japanese practice of archery

L[]

• longbow (equipment) – A tall wooden bow with a D shaped cross-section, approximately the same height as the archer, without significant recurve
• loose (practice) – The act of shooting an arrow from a bow (a.k.a. release)
• laminated bow (equipment) – A bow with different materials laminated together to make a single bow
• limbs (equipment) – The upper and lower arms of a bow
• longrod (equipment) – Rod attached to the bow to dampen vibrations

M[]

• majra (equipment) – An overdraw device used in Turkish archery
• mounted archer (practitioner) – An archer mounted on a horse
• mounted archery (practice) – Archery while mounted on a horse
• Mongolian draw (practice) – The act of drawing a bow with the thumb

N[]

• nock (equipment) – The notch at the rear end of an arrow; also the notches at the ends of the bow limbs to which the bowstring is attached, or looped over
• nock (practice) – The act of setting an arrow in a bow
• nocking point (equipment) – The point on a bow string over which an arrow nock is placed

O[]

• overdraw (practice) – The use of a device, e.g. a siper, to allow the shooting of arrows shorter than the draw of the bow
• overdrawn (measure) – A condition in which a bow string is too short for the bow; fistmele is exceeded

P[]

• plunger or pressure button (equipment) – A device used to correct an arrow's flex at the point of release
• point (equipment) – The front end of an arrow; also known as the arrowhead, head or tip

Q[]

• quarrel (equipment) – A crossbow projectile; also called a bolt
• quiver (equipment) – A container for an archer's projectiles (arrows)

R[]

• recurve bow (equipment) – A form of bow in which the unstrung tips curve away from the archer
• reflex bow (equipment) – A form of bow in which the entire length of the handle and arms curve away from the archer
• release (practice) – The act of relaxing the fingers of the drawing hand (see Bow draw) to free an arrow from a bow (a.k.a. loose)
• release — a small handheld object that can be clipped to a bowstring and releases when a trigger is pressed
• rest (equipment) – A device used to hold the arrow against the handle until it is released
• riser (equipment) – The handle section of a bow
• run archery (practice) – Shooting discipline connecting archery with running

S[]

• safety arrow (equipment) – An arrow with a wide tip or padded head, often used for reenactments
• self bow (equipment) – A bow made from a single piece of material (normally wood)
• serving (equipment) – Extra thread wound around a bow string in order to support or protect the main fiber
• shaft (equipment) – The main structural element of an arrow
• shaftment (equipment) – Part of the arrow upon which the fletchings lie
• shaft feathers (equipment) – The two feathers which oppose the cock feather
• shedao (practice) – The Chinese and Taiwanese practice of archery
• shooting glove (equipment) – Protective gear for an archer's fingers
• siper (equipment) – An overdraw device used in Turkish archery
• spine (measure) – The stiffness of an arrow shaft; contrasted with flex
• stabiliser (equipment) – A weighted rod or set of rods used to provide balance to a bow
• stave (equipment) – A strip of wood from which a bow may be made
• string (action) – The action of putting the bow in tension

T[]

• tab (equipment) – A small leather patch to protect the archer's fingers
• target archery (practice) – Shooting at non-moving targets placed varying distances away
• target panic (condition) – Set of symptoms developed for psychological reasons resulting in lowered accuracy
• target point (equipment) – Bullet-shaped practice head, used for targets
• target shooting (practice) – Competitive event that uses projectile weapons for tests of proficiency
• thumb ring (equipment) – Protective ring for an archer's thumb
• tip (equipment) – Either (especially the top) end of the bow, as differentiated from the point of an arrow
• tong-ah (equipment) – An overdraw device used in traditional Korean archery, similar to the Turkish majra

U[]

• upshot – The last shot in an archery contest

V[]

• vane (equipment) – The stabilizing fin of an arrow

W[]

• wand shoot (practice) – An archery event in which arrows are shot at a slat of soft wood that is typically six feet tall and two inches wide^[2]
• Welsh longbow (equipment) – A powerful medieval bow; also known as an English longbow

Y[]

• ya (equipment) – An asymmetric Japanese arrow
• yabusame (practice) – A type of mounted archery practiced in Japan
• yew (material) – A type of wood traditionally used to make bows^[3]
• yumi (equipment) – An asymmetric Japanese bow; includes both long and short varieties (daikyu and hankyu)

See also[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Archery.

• Archery games
• Field archery
• History of archery
• Ranged weapon

References[]