What is the Latin word for bow?

The usual Latin words for “bow” are flectō, īnflectō, curvō; also incurvō, incurvus, recurvō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“bow” in Latin

flectōto bend, curve or bow; to deviate, distract; to turn or curl īnflectōto bend, curve, bow; to turn aside; to alter, influence, affect curvōto crook, bend, bow, curve incurvōto bend inwards, bow, curve incurvusbent, bowed, crooked, curved recurvōto bend backwards; to turn back repandusupturned, turned up; turned back incurvēscōto begin to bend, bend down ArnŏbĭusAn African Church father in the time of Diocletian arcusarc, arch; bow (arc-shaped weapon used for archery); rainbow

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

bow

to bend, flectere, inflectere; curvare, incurvare. Bowed, infiexus, incurvus: backward, recurvatus, recurvus, repandus. INTR., flecti, curvari, incurvescere. To bow, bow the head, se demittere, caput demittere: to bow to anybody (as a mode of salutation), acclinis saluto aliquem (Arnobius); salutare aliquem: down to the ground, aliquem adoro, veneror. To bow the knee, genua flectere (generally): genua (flexa) submittere (out of respect; to one, alicui). They bow down under the weight, incurvantnr, ceduntque ponderi. To bow to one (figuratively), submittere se alicui; se alicujus potestati permittere. Man must bow to the will of God, hominum vita jussis divinae legis obtemperat. To bow to the ground (crush, depress), frangere, deprimere, opprimere: one’s pride, superbiam alicujus retundere.

bow s.

corporis inclinatio: to make a bow to anybody, acclinis saluto aliquem (Arnobius), or only aliquem salutare.

bow s.

arcus. Bow-string, nervus. A cross-bow, arcuballista, manuballista. A bowman, sagittarius: cross-bow man, arcuballistarius, manuballistarius. A maker of bows, arcuarius. Within bow-shot, intra teli jactum or conjectum: out of, extra, etc. To bend a bow, arcum intendere, adducere. To get his food by his bow, expedire alimenta arcu. A rainbow, pluvius arcus; also from context, arcus. A bow-window, fenestra arcuata. Bow-legged, varus, valgus.

Of a stringed instrument, plectrum.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for bow?: The usual Latin words for “bow” are flectō, īnflectō, curvō; also incurvō, incurvus, recurvō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.