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. __NOTOC__

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 Amo or AMO may refer to: Places *Amo, Indiana, United States, a town in Hendricks County * Amo Creek, a river in Alaska *Amu Darya, a river in Central Asia, sometimes referred to as "Amo" *Amo Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota *Kampong Amo, ...

(organization) – The Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Organization (now known as the Archery Trade Association, or ''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 Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

(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 An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers c ...

(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 Archery Manufacturers and Merchants Organization, or ''AMO'') *A.T.A. (measure) – Initialism 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

* back bar (equipment) – see " siderod" * back tension release (equipment) – see " hinge release" * back wall – The point of a compound bow's draw cycle beyond which the bow cannot be drawn. * barebow ** (equipment) – A bow with no accessories attached. ** (discipline) – A competitive archery discipline in which allowed bow accessories are severely limited; for example, simple arrow rests and kisser buttons are usually allowed, but sights and stabilizers are always banned. * Berger hole (equipment) – A threaded hole on the riser of a compound bow through.which a bolt that secures an arrow rest is attached. * bleeder blade (equipment) – Secondary blades on a broadhead that are smaller than the primary cutting blades, included to provide a larger cutting surface. Often called simply a "bleeder". * bodkin point (equipment) – A sharp, pointed arrow head *

bolt The BOLT Browser was a web browser for mobile phones including feature phones and smartphones that can run Java ME applications. The BOLT Browser was offered free of charge to consumers and by license to mobile network operators and handset manuf ...

(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

(a.k.a. ''archer'') * bow (equipment) – An ancient weapon powered by elasticity, used for hunting and sport * bow press (equipment) – A mechanical press which flexes the limbs of a compound bow, taking tension off the string and cable(s) to allow bow maintenance. * bow square (equipment) – A specialized T-square with measuring marks that clips onto the bow string, used to set nocking points for all bows and setting the brace height of recurve bows. * bowfishing (practice) – The use of archery equipment for catching fish. * bowhunting (practice) – The practice of hunting game using archery. *

bowstring A bowstring joins the two ends of the bow stave and launches the arrow. Desirable properties include light weight, strength, resistance to abrasion, and resistance to water. Mass has most effect at the center of the string; of extra mass in th ...

(equipment) – A fiber joining two ends of a bow for launching arrows. Can be rendered as two words ("bow string"). * 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 An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...

(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 * button (equipment) – An adjustable spring-loaded contact for the arrow as it sits on the rest, mounted perpendicular to the arrow * button release (equipment) – see " thumb release" * butts (location) – A practice field with mounds of earth used as targets

C

* cable (equipment) ** A length of fiber attached to the back of a traditional bow for reinforcement. See

cable-backed bow A cable-backed bow is a bow reinforced with a cable on the back. The cable is made from either animal, vegetable or synthetic fibers and is tightened to increase the strength of the bow. A cable will relieve tension stress from the back of the ...

. ** A length of string material connecting the cams of a compound bow. * cable-driven rest (equipment) – A drop-away rest that is mechanically linked to a compound bow's cable. * cam (equipment) – A rotating piece of mechanical linkage in a compound bow that converts rotary motion into linear motion. * clarifier (equipment) – A lens attached to the sight housing (typically a scope-style housing), used to provide a clearer view of the target. Contrast with verifier. *

clicker A clicker, sometimes called a cricket, is any device that makes a clicking sound, usually when deliberately activated by its user. They usually consist of a piece of thin metal or plastic held in a casing so that the metal is slightly torqued; ...

(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. * containment rest (equipment) – An arrow rest that holds the arrow in place with multiple points of contact. *

crest Crest or CREST may refer to: Buildings *The Crest (Huntington, New York), a historic house in Suffolk County, New York *"The Crest", an alternate name for 63 Wall Street, in Manhattan, New York *Crest Castle (Château Du Crest), Jussy, Switzerla ...

(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

* D-loop (equipment) – A length of string (or sometimes a metal bracket) connected to the bowstring above and below the nocking point, allowing the archer to connect a release aid to the string while avoiding interference with the arrow. *'' daikyu'' (equipment) – A Japanese longbow *

decurve bow In archery, the shape of the bow is usually taken to be the view from the side. It is the product of the complex relationship of material stresses, designed by a bowyer. This shape, viewing the limbs, is designed to take into account the cons ...

(equipment) – A form of bow in which the unstrung tips curve toward the archer *

deflex bow In archery, the shape of the bow (weapon), bow is usually taken to be the view from the side. It is the product of the complex relationship of material Stress (mechanics), stresses, designed by a bowyer. This shape, viewing the limbs, is designe ...

(equipment) – A form of bow in which the entire length of the handle and limbs curve toward the archer *

drawing Drawing is a form of visual art in which an artist uses instruments to mark paper or other two-dimensional surface. Drawing instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, various kinds of paints, inked brushes, colored pencils, crayons, ...

(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 (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'' * drop-away rest (equipment) – An arrow rest for compound bows that is designed to hold the arrow in place when the archer is at full draw, but drop down once the arrow is released. * 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 The English longbow was a powerful medieval type of bow, about long. While it is debated whether it originated in England or in Wales from the Welsh bow, by the 14th century the longbow was being used by both the English and the Welsh as a ...

(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. Alternately a "field point". * 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'') * fixed-blade broadhead (equipment) – A hunting broadhead with blades attached to its ferrule, with the edges fully visible from the outside. Alternately a "fixed broadhead". Depending on the design, the blades can be permanently attached or replaceable. * flatbow (equipment) – A non-

recurved bow In archery, a recurve bow is one of the main shapes a bow can take, with limbs that curve away from the archer when unstrung. A recurve bow stores more energy and delivers energy more efficiently than the equivalent straight-limbed bow, giving ...

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 Spine or spinal may refer to: Science Biology * Vertebral column, also known as the backbone * Dendritic spine, a small membranous protrusion from a neuron's dendrite * Thorns, spines, and prickles, needle-like structures in plants * Spine (zoolog ...

'' * flu-flu arrow (equipment) – A specially designed short-range arrow * FOC (measure) – Abbreviation of "front of center" or "forward of center", with the letters spelled out. An indirect measure of the portion of the arrow's mass in the front half (the head end). Expressed as a percentage, calculated by determining the difference between the finished arrow's balance point (including the head, insert/outsert, fletching, and nock) and the shaft's center point, and then dividing it by the total shaft length (measured from the bottom of the nock groove to the end of the shaft). * footed arrow (equipment) – An arrow with a shaft composed of two types of wood.

G

*'' gungdo'' (practice) – The Korean practice of archery

H

* half-out (equipment) – A type of arrow

insert Insert may refer to: *Insert (advertising) *Insert (composites) *Insert (effects processing) *Insert (filmmaking) *Insert key on a computer keyboard, used to switch between insert mode and overtype mode *Insert (molecular biology) *Insert (SQL) *Fi ...

placed inside an arrow shaft, but with a portion extending beyond the end of the shaft by more than a nominal amount. Most often chosen to allow standard-threaded heads to be used with small-diameter shafts. *'' hankyu'' (equipment) – A short Japanese bow *

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

(equipment) – The front end of an arrow; also known as the ''arrowhead'', ''point'' or ''tip'' * helical fletching (description) – Description of a fletch placed so that it forms an arc with respect to the arrow's center axis. Can additionally be described as "left" or "right" helical, indicating the direction of the arc as one travels down the fletch toward the arrow point, and by the number of degrees offset from the axis of symmetry. * hen feather (equipment) – Name given to the shaft feathers based on misunderstanding of ''cock'' (leading) feather * hinge release (equipment) – A release aid that fires by rotation, usually from the archer's middle finger to the ring finger. Also known as a "back tension" release, as the needed rotation is often supplied by moving the back muscles in the desired direction. * holding weight (measure) – The number of pounds of force required to hold a compound bow at full draw. See also let-off. * horse archer (practitioner) – An archer mounted on a horse *

horse archery A horse archer is a cavalryman armed with a bow and able to shoot while riding from horseback. Archery has occasionally been used from the backs of other riding animals. In large open areas, it was a highly successful technique for hunting, f ...

(practice) – Archery mounted on a horse *hybrid (equipment) ** A term to describe the combination of a recurve and a longbow, also known as "

reflex In biology, a reflex, or reflex action, is an involuntary, unplanned sequence or action and nearly instantaneous response to a stimulus. Reflexes are found with varying levels of complexity in organisms with a nervous system. A reflex occurs ...

-deflex". ** A term to describe a hunting broadhead with both fixed and mechanically opening blades.

I

* IBO – International Bowhunting Organization, an American organization that promotes bowhunting and sanctions 3-D archery competitions. Also the creator of the most widely used standard for measuring bow speeds. * index fletching (equipment) – A differently-colored fletch that indicates proper arrow alignment (a.k.a. ''cock fletching'') * index release (equipment) – A release aid that fires when the archer activates a trigger with (usually) the index finger. * insert (equipment) – A metal sleeve fitted to and glued inside an arrow shaft. Most often refers to sleeves placed at the point end of the shaft, threaded to allow arrowheads to be screwed in. Can also refer to sleeves placed at the fletching end to add weight or allow certain nock types to be installed. Contrast with

outsert An outsert is a supplemental leaflet or card wrapped around and attached to the outside of a magazine or other publication -- unlike an insert, which appears inside the magazine itself -- in order to advertise a product. Outserts may range from a ...

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

* let-off (measure) – The difference between a compound bow's holding weight and draw weight. Expressed as a percentage of the draw weight; for example, a bow with a draw weight of 70 lb and holding weight of 14 lb would have 80% let-off. * limb-driven rest (equipment) – A drop-away rest that is mechanically linked to one of a compound bow's limbs. * 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 Majra is a village in the Jhajjar district of the Indian state of Haryana. It is part of the town of Beri. As per 2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and popul ...

'' (equipment) – An overdraw device used in Turkish archery * mechanical broadhead (equipment) – A hunting broadhead whose blades are designed to open by contact with the target. * 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 Nock may refer to: Archery * In a bow and arrow, two notches near the bow's respective ends, for attaching the bowstring * Nock (arrow), in an arrow, the notch in the fletched (feathered) end of the arrow, for engaging the bowstring People *He ...

(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

* offset fletching (description) – Description of a fletch placed at an angle with respect to the arrow's center axis, but along as straight a line as the curvature of the arrow allows. Contrast with helical fletching. * outsert (equipment) – A metal sleeve fitted to and glued on the outside of an arrow shaft, for the same purposes as an

. * 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 An overdraft occurs when something is withdrawn in excess of what is in a current account. For financial systems, this can be funds in a bank account. For water resources, it can be groundwater in an aquifer. In these situations the account is s ...

(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 Point or points may refer to: Places * Point, Lewis, a peninsula in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland * Point, Texas, a city in Rains County, Texas, United States * Point, the NE tip and a ferry terminal of Lismore, Inner Hebrides, Scotland * Point ...

(equipment) – The front end of an arrow; also known as the ''arrowhead'', ''head'' or ''tip''

Q

quarrel Quarrel may refer to: * A heated disagreement * Crossbow bolt A bolt or quarrel is a dart-like projectile used by crossbows. The name "quarrel" is derived from the French word ''carré'', meaning square, referring to their typically square ...

(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 In archery, the shape of the bow is usually taken to be the view from the side. It is the product of the complex relationship of material stresses, designed by a bowyer. This shape, viewing the limbs, is designed to take into account the cons ...

(equipment) – A form of bow in which the entire length of the handle and arms curve away from the archer *

release Release may refer to: * Art release, the public distribution of an artistic production, such as a film, album, or song * Legal release, a legal instrument * News release, a communication directed at the news media * Release (ISUP), a code to ident ...

(practice) – The act of relaxing the fingers of the drawing hand (see

Bow draw A bow draw is the method used to draw a bow. Currently, the most common method in modern target archery is the Mediterranean draw, long the usual method in European archery. Other methods include the pinch draw and the Mongolian or "thumb" draw. ...

) to free an arrow from a bow (a.k.a. ''loose'') *

release aid In archery, a release aid, mechanical release, or release is a device that helps to fire arrows more precisely, by using a trigger to release the bowstring, rather than the archer's fingers. It is used to make the release of the bowstring quicker ...

(equipment) — A small handheld object that can be clipped to a bowstring and releases when a trigger is pressed, or upon a certain physical action. Often called simply a "release". * rest (equipment) – A device used to hold the arrow against the handle until it is released * resistance release (equipment) – A release aid that fires once the archer applies a previously set amount of resistance to the bow's back wall. This type of release includes a safety that the archer holds down during drawing and releases at full draw. * riser (equipment) – The handle section of a bow * Robin Hood ** (verb) – Slang term for splitting an arrow embedded in a target with another arrow. ** (noun) – Slang term for the above action, or for an arrow involved in that action. * 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 * scope (equipment) – A specialized sight housing that resembles a scope, most often used in target archery but occasionally seen in hunting setups. * 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 Shaft may refer to: Rotating machine elements * Shaft (mechanical engineering), a rotating machine element used to transmit power * Line shaft, a power transmission system * Drive shaft, a shaft for transferring torque * Axle, a shaft around whi ...

(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 * siderod (equipment) – A stabilizer mounted to point toward the rear of the bow, typically positioned slightly to the side of the bow corresponding to the archer's shooting hand; also called a ''back bar''. Almost always paired with a stabilizer that points in the direction of the arrow. *'' siper'' (equipment) – An overdraw device used in Turkish archery * sling (equipment) – A loop of material attached to a bow's riser, typically at or near the bottom of the grip, into which the archer inserts the bow hand. *

(measure) – The stiffness of an arrow shaft; contrasted with flex * stabiliser or stabilizer (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 * straight fletching (description) – Description of a fletch placed directly along an arrow's axis of symmetry. *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 Target panic is a psychological—and perhaps neurological—condition experienced by many archers, both competitive and recreational. The condition manifests in various ways, impacting an archer's ability to shoot confidently and accurately. Targ ...

(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 release (equipment) – A release aid that fires when the archer activates a trigger with the thumb. Also called a "thumb button" or "button release". *

thumb ring A thumb ring is a piece of equipment designed to protect the thumb during archery. This is a ring of leather, stone, horn, wood, bone, antler, ivory, metal, ceramics, plastic, or glass which fits over the end of the thumb, coming to rest at ...

(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 A result (also called upshot) is the final consequence of a sequence of actions or events expressed qualitatively or quantitatively. Possible results include advantage, disadvantage, gain, injury, loss, value and victory. There may be a range of ...

– The last shot in an archery contest

V

vane Vane may refer to: People * Vane (surname) * Vane Featherston (1864–1948), English stage actress * Ivan Vane Ivanović (1913–1999), Yugoslav-British athlete, shipowner, political activist, and philanthropist * Vane Pennell (1876–1938), ...

(equipment) – The stabilizing fin of an arrow. In modern usage, usually refers to a fin made from a synthetic material, as opposed to one made from an actual feather. * verifier (equipment) – A lens attached to a

peep Peep, Peeps, or PEEP may refer to: People *Peep (given name), Estonian masculine given name *Lil Peep (1996–2017), American singer and rapper *Helend Peep (1910–2007), Estonian actor *Viljar Peep (born 1969), Estonian historian and civil serv ...

housing, used to provide a clearer view of the sight pin(s). Contrast with

clarifier Clarifiers are settling tanks built with mechanical means for continuous removal of solids being deposited by sedimentation. A clarifier is generally used to remove solid particulates or suspended solids from liquid for clarification and/or thi ...

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 *

Welsh longbow The Welsh bow or Welsh longbow was a medieval weapon used by Welsh soldiers. They were first documented by Gerald of Wales about 1188, who writes of the bows used by the Welsh men of Gwent: "They are made neither of horn, ash nor yew, but of elm. ...

(equipment) – A powerful medieval bow; also known as an ''English longbow''

X

* X ring (equipment) – In some competitions, a smaller target ring at the center of the bullseye which (depending on the competition rules) will award the highest possible score, or be used as a tiebreaker. For example, in The Vegas Shoot, a well-known American target archery competition, the highest possible score in the 90-arrow championship round would be "900/90X", representing all 90 arrows hitting the X ring.

Y

*'' ya'' (equipment) – An asymmetric Japanese arrow *'' yabusame'' (practice) – A type of mounted archery practiced in Japan *

yew Yew is a common name given to various species of trees. It is most prominently given to any of various coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Taxus'': * European yew or common yew (''Taxus baccata'') * Pacific yew or western yew (''Taxus br ...

(material) – A type of wood traditionally used to make bowsHansard, George Hagar (1841)
"Of Yew Trees, Yew Bows, &c, &c"
Section VIII, ''The Book of Archery''
The Archery Library
/ref> *'' yumi'' (equipment) – An asymmetric Japanese bow; includes both long and short varieties (''daikyu'' and ''hankyu'')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glossary Of Archery Terms Archery Sports terminology Archery terms

Archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...

Wikipedia glossaries using unordered lists