# nock

> English word · Noun · IPA /nɒk/ · frequency rank #65,346

## Definitions
1. Either of the two grooves in a bow that hold the bowstring.
2. The notch at the rear of an arrow that fits on the bowstring.
3. The upper fore corner of a boom sail or trysail.

## Etymology
From Middle English nokke, attested since the 14th century, probably from a Scandinavian/North Germanic language (compare Swedish nock (“notch”), but compare Dutch nok, from Middle Dutch nocke (“tip, point”). Both could be related to nook (“corner, recess”).

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