Archer

How to spell archer

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce archer

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does archer mean?

1. nounA person who shoots with a bow and arrow, whether in sport, hunting, or warfare.

Archer in a sentence

• The archer drew back the bowstring and aimed at the distant target.

• Every skilled archer at the club practised for hours before the tournament.

Where does archer come from?

Language of origin: French

This word comes from the Latin arcus, meaning a 'bow' or anything curved like an arch, the same root that gives us the architectural word 'arch'. From arcus the Latin verb arcarius described a maker or user of bows, and in Old French this became archier, naming a soldier armed with a bow. English borrowed the term during the 1200s, when archers were a decisive force on the medieval battlefield. The spelling kept the French -er agent ending rather than the Latin -arius, and the connection to the curved 'arch' is a neat memory hook, since an archer bends a bow into an arch to shoot. The word has stayed remarkably stable in form for centuries, which is why it presents few surprises to spell.

How the word is built

• arch- (from Latin arcus: bow)
• -er (agent suffix: one who does)