# arrow

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈæɹ.əʊ/ · frequency rank #5,758

## Definitions
1. A projectile consisting of a shaft, a point and a tail with stabilizing fins that is shot from a bow.
2. A sign or symbol used to indicate a direction (e.g.→).
3. A directed edge.
4. A morphism.
5. A dart.
6. The -> symbol, which has specific meanings in various programming languages.
7. The inflorescence or tassel of a mature sugar cane plant.

## Etymology
From Middle English arwe, from Old English earh (“arrow”) (oblique form ēarw-), from Proto-West Germanic *arhu (“arrow”), from Proto-Germanic *arhwō (“arrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂érkʷo- (“bow, arrow”). Cognate with Faroese ørv, ørvur (“arrow”), Icelandic ör (“arrow”), örvar (“arrows”), Gothic 𐌰𐍂𐍈𐌰𐌶𐌽𐌰 (arƕazna, “dart”), Asturian and Leonese arcu (“arrow”), Aragonese, Galician, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish arco (“arrow”), Catalan, French, and Romanian arc (“arrow”), Latin arcus (“bow”). Doublet of arch, arc, arco, and arcus.

## Easily confused with
- **arson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arrow-vs-arson)
- **arrows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arrow-vs-arrows)
- **arroyo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arrow-vs-arroyo)
- **arr** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arr-vs-arrow)
- **aro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aro-vs-arrow)
- **Aron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aron-vs-arrow)
- **Argo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/argo-vs-arrow)
- **agro** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/agro-vs-arrow)
- **Arno** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arno-vs-arrow)
- **Arlo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arlo-vs-arrow)
- **arco** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arco-vs-arrow)
- **allow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/allow-vs-arrow)
- **Aaron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aaron-vs-arrow)
- **array** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/array-vs-arrow)
- **armor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/armor-vs-arrow)
- **arbor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/arbor-vs-arrow)
- **apron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/apron-vs-arrow)
- **Akron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/akron-vs-arrow)
- **Argos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/argos-vs-arrow)
- **argon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/argon-vs-arrow)

## Common misspellings (5)
`arorw`, `arow`, `arroww`, `arrwo`, `rarow`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/arrow