arrowhead

noun

ar·​row·​head ˈer-ō-ˌhed How to pronounce arrowhead (audio)
ˈer-ə-,
ˈa-rō-,
ˈa-rə-
1
: a wedge-shaped piercing tip usually fixed to an arrow
2
: something resembling an arrowhead
3
: any of a genus (Sagittaria) of marsh or aquatic plants of the water-plantain family with leaves shaped like arrowheads

Illustration of arrowhead

Illustration of arrowhead
  • arrowhead 1

Examples of arrowhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By the Bronze Age, arrowheads were firmly embedded in warfare. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025 Per the statement, earlier excavations had revealed arrowheads at the cave site, but archaeologists were unsure whether these weapons were funerary goods or projectiles responsible for fatal injuries. Aurora Martínez, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2025 In his flashlight beam, Carlson could see that his arrow was just barely holding the cat – with the arrowhead barely under its tough skin. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 16 July 2025 According to signage at the trail, the canyon got its named in the 1940s from school children who searched for arrowheads there. Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for arrowhead

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arowe-heed, from arowe arrow entry 1 + heed head entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of arrowhead was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arrowhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arrowhead. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

arrowhead

noun
ar·​row·​head -ˌhed How to pronounce arrowhead (audio)
1
: the wedge-shaped striking end of an arrow
2
: something (as a mark) resembling an arrowhead

More from Merriam-Webster on arrowhead

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