49 archery terms explained, including nock, fletching, quiver, draw weight and Robin Hood, each with a one-line definition.
What follows is archery terminology as it is actually spoken on the shooting line: the words related to archery that describe the gear, the words associated with archery that describe the shot itself, and the slang that only turns up once you have spent a few ends beside other archers. If you only need a quick answer, the archery glossary further down lists every term, plus a good number of archery words the list above does not cover.
Must-Know Archery Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Anchor Point
- Arm Guard
- Arrowhead
- Bowstring
- Bullseye
- Clout
- Compound Bow
- Draw Weight
- End
- Fletching
- Grip
- Limb
- Nock
- Quiver
- Recurve Bow
- Release
- Shaft
- Sight
- Stabilizer
- Target
- Vane
- X-ring
- Yoke
- Overdraw
- Point of aim
- Scoring ring
- Spine
- Dry fire
- Finger tab
- Field archery
Archery Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Anchor Point | The fixed spot on the face, usually the mouth corner or jaw, that the draw hand touches at full draw. It makes every shot repeatable. |
| Archer | Anyone who shoots a bow. Older words for the same person are bowman and, in competition circles, toxophilite. |
| Arm Guard | A guard strapped to the forearm of the bow arm so the string cannot slap the skin on release. |
| Arrow | The projectile: shaft, point, nock and fletching. Crossbows shoot a shorter version called a bolt. |
| Arrowhead | The point at the front of the arrow. Target points are blunt and cheap, hunting points are broader and heavier. |
| Barebow | A recurve shot without sight, stabilizer or release aid. The archer aims off the point of the arrow or off a mark in the scenery. |
| Bolt | The short, heavy arrow shot from a crossbow. Also called a quarrel. |
| Bow | The frame that stores and releases the energy. The main families are longbow, recurve, compound and crossbow. |
| Bowstring | The cord between the two limb tips. Drawing it loads the limbs, releasing it sends that energy into the arrow. |
| Bullseye | The centre circle of the target, worth the most points. Hitting it repeatedly is the whole point of target archery. |
| Butt | The backing that the target face is pinned to, usually straw or dense foam. It stops the arrow without damaging it. |
| Clout | A long distance format where archers shoot at a flag lying in the field rather than a target face. Score depends on how close the arrow falls to the flag. |
| Compound Bow | A bow with cams and cables that cuts the holding weight at full draw, so the archer can aim longer without shaking. |
| Crossbow | A short bow mounted crosswise on a stock, drawn mechanically and held cocked until the trigger is pulled. |
| Draw | Pulling the string back to the anchor point. The whole sequence from raising the bow to release is the draw cycle. |
| Draw Weight | The force in pounds needed to pull the string to full draw. More weight means a faster arrow and a harder hold. |
| Dry Fire | Releasing the string with no arrow on it. The energy goes into the bow instead of the arrow and can wreck it. |
| End | A set of arrows shot before anyone walks up to score, normally three or six. |
| Field Archery | Shooting a course of targets at unmarked or varied distances through woods and slopes, closer to hunting than to a flat range. |
| Finger Tab | A flat piece of leather or synthetic material over the draw fingers, so the string leaves cleanly and the fingers stay whole. |
| Fletching | The feathers or plastic vanes at the back of the arrow that steady it in flight. |
| Grip | The part of the riser the bow hand rests on. A relaxed grip stops the hand from twisting the bow at release. |
| Grouping | How tightly a set of arrows lands together. Archers judge form by group size before they worry about where the group sits. |
| Let-off | The share of the peak draw weight a compound bow takes off the archer's fingers at full draw, often around 70 or 80 percent. |
| Limb | The flexing upper and lower arms of the bow. They store the energy the string delivers. |
| Longbow | A tall, simple bow with limbs that curve in one direction only, shot without sights in traditional classes. |
| Loose | The command to shoot, and an older word for the release itself. |
| Nock | The slot at the back of the arrow that clips onto the string. Nocking an arrow means fitting it there. |
| Overdraw | Pulling the string past what the bow is built for. It adds strain to the limbs and risks damage. |
| Peep Sight | A small ring set into the bowstring that the archer looks through to line the sight up with the target. |
| Point of Aim | Aiming off a mark in the surroundings rather than at the target, used when no sight is fitted. |
| Quiver | The container for arrows, worn on the back, on the hip, or bolted to the bow. |
| Recurve Bow | A bow whose limb tips curve away from the archer, which stores more energy than a straight limb of the same length. The Olympic bow is a recurve. |
| Release | Letting the string go. Also the mechanical trigger many compound archers use instead of fingers. |
| Riser | The rigid middle section of the bow that carries the grip, the sight, the rest and the limbs. |
| Robin Hood | An arrow that lands in the back of an arrow already in the target and splits it. Expensive, and everybody photographs it. |
| Scoring Ring | One of the concentric circles on the face. The inner rings are worth more, the outermost the least. |
| Serving | The thread wrapped around the middle and the loops of the bowstring to protect it from wear. |
| Shaft | The body of the arrow, made from carbon, aluminium or wood. |
| Sight | The aiming aid on the riser, from a single fixed pin to an adjustable target sight with a scope. |
| Spine | The stiffness of the shaft. Too soft or too stiff for the bow and the arrow leaves the string flexing off line. |
| Stabilizer | A rod, or set of rods, screwed into the riser to damp vibration and hold the bow steady through the shot. |
| Target | The face the archer shoots at, normally concentric rings on paper or foam. |
| Target Panic | A learned flinch that stops an archer from holding on the middle or from releasing cleanly. Common, and slow to unlearn. |
| Toxophilite | A formal word for an archer, from the Greek for bow and lover. It survives mostly in club names. |
| Valley | The low point of a compound bow's draw cycle, where the holding weight is lightest, just before the back wall. |
| Vane | A plastic fletching. Vanes shrug off rain better than feathers, feathers forgive a rough rest better than vanes. |
| X-ring | The inner ring inside the bullseye. It scores the same as a ten but breaks ties. |
| Yoke | The split cable end on a compound bow that attaches to both sides of a limb. Twisting it tunes how the bow leans and shoots. |
#1 Anchor Point
A consistent spot on the archer’s face, such as the corner of the mouth or cheek, where the hand or string is positioned at full draw. It’s critical for maintaining accuracy and a repeatable shooting form.
#2 Arm Guard
A protective device worn on the forearm of the bow arm to prevent injuries from the bowstring’s slap upon release. An arm guard ensures comfort and safety, allowing archers to concentrate on their technique without distraction.
#3 Arrowhead
Also called a point or tip, the arrowhead is the front end of an arrow that penetrates the target. Arrowhead designs vary by purpose, from target shooting to hunting, with different shapes and materials to maximize effectiveness.
#4 Bowstring
The cord that connects the two ends of the bow and is pulled back to launch the arrow. The bowstring is vital for transferring energy from the bow to the arrow upon release.
#5 Bullseye
The centermost circle on an archery target, traditionally scoring the highest number of points. Hitting the bullseye is a sign of precision and skill, often sought after by archers for both practice and competition.
#6 Clout
A type of archery shooting that involves aiming at a flag (the clout) from a long distance, typically around 165 meters (180 yards) for men and 125 meters (140 yards) for women. Scoring is determined by how close the arrow lands to the flag.
#7 Compound Bow
A modern type of bow that uses a system of pulleys and cables to help reduce the force needed to hold the string at full draw. This mechanical advantage allows the archer to aim more steadily and shoot more accurately due to reduced muscle fatigue.
#8 Draw Weight
The amount of force required to pull back the bowstring to its full draw length. Draw weight is measured in pounds and can vary depending on the bow’s design and the archer’s strength. Higher draw weights can increase arrow speed and penetration but are more challenging to pull back and hold.
#9 End
An “end” is a set of arrows shot before retrieving them from the target, typically consisting of three or six arrows in most formats. It represents a scoring segment in a round of archery competition.
#10 Fletching
Fletchings are the aerodynamic fins or vanes typically made from feathers or plastic attached to the rear end of an arrow, helping to stabilize its flight towards the target.
#11 Grip
The grip is the part of the bow that the archer holds with their bow hand. Proper grip technique is crucial for consistent shooting and preventing hand torque that can affect arrow flight.
#12 Limb
The limbs are the upper and lower flexible parts of the bow that bend when the string is drawn. The energy stored in the limbs propels the arrow when the string is released.
#13 Nock
A nock is the notch at the end of the arrow that secures the arrow to the bowstring. It ensures the correct and consistent positioning of the arrow for every shot.
#14 Quiver
A quiver is an accessory used by archers to hold their arrows conveniently and protect the fletchings. It can be carried on the archer’s back, waist, or attached to the bow.
#15 Recurve Bow
A recurve bow is a bow design where the tips curve away from the archer when unstrung. The recurve shape stores more energy and delivers it more efficiently than a simple bow
#16 Release
In archery, a release is the act of letting go of the bowstring to shoot an arrow. It can also refer to a mechanical aid used by archers, especially with compound bows, to release the string more smoothly and consistently than fingers can.
#17 Shaft
The long, straight spine of an arrow, typically made from materials such as carbon, aluminum, or wood. The shaft’s straightness and stiffness are vital for the arrow’s flight accuracy and consistency.
#18 Sight
A device attached to the bow that helps archers aim more accurately. Sights come in various styles, including simple fixed pin sights and more complex adjustable designs for precision shooting.
#19 Stabilizer
An accessory that screws into the bow to help reduce vibration and bow movement upon release, improving the shooter’s control and the arrow’s flight. Stabilizers come in different lengths and weights for personal preference.
#20 Target
The object archers aim at, usually a circular board marked with concentric rings. Each ring has a different point value, with the center (bullseye) worth the most points in a scoring round.
#21 Vane
A small, usually plastic fin attached to the arrow shaft that helps stabilize the arrow’s flight by creating drag and ensuring it stays on course. Vanes are also known as fletches.
#22 X-ring
The very center of the target in target archery, scoring the highest possible points. The X-ring is often used as a tiebreaker because of its difficulty to consistently hit.
#23 Yoke
Part of the cable system on a compound bow, the yoke helps balance the load and tuning of the bow by attaching to both ends of the upper limb. Adjusting the yoke can affect how the bow fires, including its accuracy and consistency.
#24 Overdraw
The action of pulling the bowstring back further than the bow’s design permits, which can increase power but may damage the bow. Overdrawing often requires specialized equipment such as an extended arrow rest.
#25 Point of Aim
A technique used by archers where they focus on a specific spot in the environment that is not the target itself, used to help align the shot when the sight is not used. This method compensates for arrow drop over distance.
#26 Scoring Ring
The concentric circles on a target, each with a different score value; hitting inner rings scores more points. In competition, archers aim to hit the highest scoring rings, typically the center or bullseye, for maximum points.
#27 Spine
Refers to the stiffness of an arrow shaft, which affects how the arrow flexes during its flight. The correct spine is critical for accuracy, as too much or too little flex can cause the arrow to veer off course.
#28 Dry Fire
Releasing the bowstring without an arrow nocked; this can damage the bow and potentially cause injury. It occurs when an archer draws and releases the string by mistake or as a result of inattention.
#29 Finger Tab
A protective piece of leather or synthetic material used to guard the fingers from the bowstring’s force. Archers wear a finger tab on the hand that draws the string to reduce friction and prevent blisters.
#30 Field Archery
Field Archery is a variation where archers shoot arrows at targets set at varying distances in wooded, uneven terrain, mimicking hunting scenarios. It challenges archers to adjust their aim for distance, elevation, and environmental factors, testing precision and adaptability in natural settings compared to standardized target archery.
FAQ
What do you call someone who does archery?
An archer. Historically a bowman, and in club and society names a toxophilite. There is no separate word for a beginner: everyone on the line is an archer.
What is it called when arrows are carried on your back?
A quiver. Back quivers sit over the shoulder, hip quivers hang from a belt, and bow quivers bolt straight onto the bow. All three hold the arrows point down and protect the fletching.
What is it called in archery when two arrows intersect?
A Robin Hood. The second arrow lands in the back of the first one already in the target and splits the shaft. It costs an arrow and proves a very tight group.
What is it called when you shoot a bow without an arrow?
A dry fire. With no arrow to take the energy, it goes back into the limbs and string, which can crack a bow and injure the archer. It is the one mistake every range warns about first.
What is the word for putting an arrow on the bowstring?
Nocking. The slot at the back of the arrow is the nock, and clipping it onto the string is called nocking an arrow.
What is the valley in archery?
The valley is the low point in a compound bow’s draw cycle, where the holding weight is at its lightest just before the string reaches the back wall. Creeping forward out of the valley pushes the weight back up.
The archery vocabulary falls into three groups: equipment (bow, riser, limb, bowstring, nock, fletching, quiver), technique (draw, anchor point, release, loose, spine, grouping) and formats (end, clout, field archery, X-ring). The glossary above covers all three in one list.
What are some Archery terms for beginners?
“Anchor Point,” “Arm Guard,” and “Bullseye” are some Archery terms beginners should start with. These terms are pivotal for understanding the basics of stance, equipment, and targets in Archery.
What are some funny Archery terms?
“Clout” and “Overdraw” are some funny Archery terms that may sound amusing to non-archers, hinting at the quirky jargon of the sport that can lighten the mood during practice or competition.
What is a famous Archery phrase?
“Aiming high,” is a famous Archery phrase, often used metaphorically to encourage setting lofty goals, and in a literal sense, refers to adjusting one’s aim to compensate for arrow drop over distance.
