An arrow is a straight shaft with a pointed tip on one end and feathers or fins on the other, designed to be shot from a bow. When you pull back a bowstring and release it, the bow's stored energy launches the arrow forward at high speed. The pointed tip helps it pierce targets, while the feathers keep it flying straight, like fins on a rocket keep it from wobbling.

For thousands of years, arrows were essential tools for hunting and warfare. Ancient archers could hit targets from remarkable distances, and skilled archers were prized in armies worldwide. English longbowmen at Agincourt, Native American hunters tracking deer, and Japanese samurai all relied on arrows. Today, people shoot arrows mainly for sport in archery competitions or recreation.

The word also means a symbol that points in a direction: →. You see these arrows on signs, maps, and computer screens constantly. When you follow arrows in a museum, they guide you through the exhibits. Video games use arrow keys to move characters. Street signs use arrows to show which way to turn.

Notice how both meanings share the idea of going straight toward something. A physical arrow flies directly at its target. A drawn arrow points directly at a destination. Both cut through confusion and show the way forward.