bowman
bowman Lexical Profile
bowman Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who shoots with a bow and arrows; an archer.
"The medieval tapestry depicted a skilled bowman aiming at a distant target during the royal tournament."
The rower who sits nearest the bow of a boat, or a crew member stationed at the bow of a racing yacht to handle forward sails and equipment.
"As the rowing shell approached the finish line, the bowman kept the boat balanced through the choppy water."
Word Nuance & Usage
This word is a heteronym whose pronunciation depends on meaning: it is pronounced with a long 'o' (/ˈboʊmən/) when referring to an archer, and to rhyme with 'cow' (/ˈbaʊmən/) when referring to a rower or sailor at the bow of a boat.
• Rhymes for bowman
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English bowman ('archer'), formed from Old English boga ('bow') and mann ('person'). The nautical sense developed independently in the 17th century from bow ('prow of a vessel') and man.