arco
/ˈar.ko/
In Italian, 'bow' (as a curved object) is arco.
The word arco refers to both a bow used in archery to shoot arrows and a bow used to play a string instrument.
Which one should you use?
While arco refers to the physical object, the term inchino refers to the act of bowing as a gesture of respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of arco is archi.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈar.ko/. It has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the word for 'rainbow' is arcobaleno, which describes the phenomenon as a 'bow of colors'.
- Musicians globally use the Italian term arco as a standard technical instruction to signal string players to stop plucking and return to using the bow.
- The word arco describes not only archery bows and musical bows but also architectural arches, such as the Arco di Costantino in Rome.
Examples in context
- Ho comprato un nuovo arco per il violino.I bought a new bow for the violin.
- L'arco di legno è rotto.The wooden bow is broken.
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are at an archery class.
- MatteoChiara, puoi passarmi il mio arco?Chiara, can you pass me my bow?
- ChiaraCerto, Matteo, eccolo qui.Of course, Matteo, here it is.
- MatteoGrazie, questo arco è molto leggero.Thanks, this bow is very light.
- ChiaraSì, è perfetto per i principianti.Yes, it is perfect for beginners.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry arco, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
