Toxophilite

The story of the word

Roger Ascham coined the name Toxophilus for the archery-loving speaker of his 1545 dialogue on the longbow, and the English word was built from it two centuries later when gentlemen's archery societies revived the sport. The startling relative is toxic: τοξικόν was short for τοξικὸν φάρμακον, the drug used on arrows, so poison in English is named after archery equipment. Bow first, venom after.

How it travelled

Ancient Greek → English coinage → English

First recorded

18th century