English

shortbow

From short + bow.

A compound of short + bow

Proto-Germanic *skurtaz ‘short’

Proto-West Germanic *skurt

Old English sċort ‘short’

Middle English schort

English short

Proto-Indo-European *bʰewgʰ- ‘to bend’

Proto-Indo-European *bʰugʰ-

Proto-Germanic *bugô ‘bow (weapon)’

Old English boga ‘bow (weapon)’

Middle English bowe

English bow

Today it means

noun A small bow that has a strong tension, and is usually about a meter tall.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / shortbow