Fletchers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A group of individuals who create and sell arrows for archery
2. People specializing in making the shafts and heads of arrows used in various forms of archery
3. Craftsmen who design and assemble the components of arrows, ensuring precision and functionality

Etymology: "Fletchers" is the plural of "fletcher," a word that began as a trade name for the craftsman who fitted feathers to arrow shafts. The feathered tail of an arrow is called its fletching, and that is where the trade gets its name. The word came into Middle English as "fleccher," borrowed from Old French "flechier," which described the same job of making and feathering arrows. Underneath the trade name lies "fletch," the older word for the feathers themselves, so a fletcher is literally one who fletches. The "-er" ending is the familiar suffix that turns an action into the person who performs it, the same pattern found in baker or thatcher. The plural "fletchers" simply refers to a group of such craftsmen, or to the workshop trade as a whole.

Synonyms: archers, bowmen, hunters, marksmen, shooters