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

• Aluminium (material) – Used in modern archery for the production of arrows
• 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 the arrow against the 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

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

• Carbon fiber (material) - Used in modern archery for the production of arrows
• 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 weight (measure) - The number of pounds of force required to draw a bow twenty-eight inches
• 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)
• English longbow (equipment) - A powerful medieval bow; also known as the Welsh longbow

F

• Fiberglass (material) - Used in modern archery equipment for the production of both bows and arrows
• 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 (occupation) - 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

• Game (target) - Non-domesticated animals hunted for food or sport
• Glove (equipment) - Protective gear for an archer's fingers (a.k.a. shooting glove)
• 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
• 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

I

• Index fletching (equipment) - A differently-coloured 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
• Kyudo (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
• Limb (equipment) - The upper and lower arms of a bow
• Longrod (equipment) - Rod attached to the bow to dampen vibrations

M

• Mounted archer (practitioner) - An archer 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 (practise) - 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
• Poisons (equipment) - Toxic additions to arrow heads in order to increase hunting effectiveness

Q

• Quarrel (equipment) - A crossbow projectile; also called a bolt
• Quiver (equipment) - A container for an archer's projectiles

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 finger(s) of the drawing hand (see Bow draw) to free an arrow from a bow (a.k.a. loose)
• Rest (equipment) - A device used to hold the arrow against the handle until it is released
• Riser (equipment) - The handle section of a bow

S

• Safety arrow (equipment) - Arrow with 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
• Shooting glove (equipment) - Protective gear for an archer's fingers
• 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

T

• Tab (equipment) - A small leather patch to protect the archer's fingers
• Target (equipment) - General term for the intended destination of a shot arrow
• Target archery (practice) - Shooting at non-moving targets placed varying distances away
• 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

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 6' tall and 2" wide
• Welsh longbow (equipment) - A powerful medieval bow; also known as an English longbow
• Wood (material) - The earliest material used for the construction of bows and arrows

Y

• Yabusame (practice) - A type of mounted archery practiced in Japan
• Yew (material) - A type of wood traditionally used to make bows
• Yumi (equipment) - An asymmetric Japanese bow; includes both long and short varieties (daikyu and hankyu)

See also

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