The Arrow Symbol Is Barely Two Centuries Old
An arrow is a shaft shot from a bow. The symbol used to indicate direction only became standard in the nineteenth century.
An arrow is a pointed shaft shot from a bow, and also the symbol that shows direction. The symbol is much younger than the weapon: pointing hands and pointing fingers were the standard printed device for centuries, and the arrow only became the usual way of indicating direction on maps and diagrams in the 1800s. Now it is one of the most universal signs in existence.
- A shaft shot from a bow. *A quiver of arrows.*
- A directional symbol. *Follow the arrows.*
- Arrow key — on a keyboard. *Use the arrow keys.*
- Straight as an arrow — completely honest or direct. *Straight as an arrow.*
- Arrowhead — the tip. *A flint arrowhead.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | arrow | A feathered arrow. |
| Plural | arrows | Six arrows. |
| Compound | arrowhead | A bronze arrowhead. |
| Related | bow | A longbow. |
| Related | archer | A skilled archer. |
- The arrow missed by a hand's width.Archery.
- Follow the arrows to the exit.Signage.
- He is straight as an arrow.Idiom.
Parts of an arrow
- Shaft — the body, traditionally wood
- Head or point — the tip, of flint, bronze or steel
- Fletching — the feathers that stabilise flight
- Nock — the slot that grips the bowstring
- Fletcher — the maker, and a common surname
Old English *arwe*, from Proto-Germanic, related to Latin *arcus*, a bow. The directional symbol became standard in the nineteenth century.
How old is the arrow symbol?
As a standard sign for direction, about two hundred years. Earlier printed material used a pointing hand instead.
What is fletching?
The feathers or vanes at the back of an arrow that make it fly straight. A fletcher made arrows.