Standard Lemma guide

atlatl

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /ˈatlat(ə)l/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A spearthrower consisting of a wooden stick with a thong or perpendicularly protruding hook on the rear end that grips a grove or socket on the butt of its accompanying spear (or dart), intended to steady the spear immediately prior to throwing, to increase its potential range when thrown, and to increase its force of penetration of the target.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Classical Nahuatl ahtlatl.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 投槍器 /投枪器 (tóuqiāng qì) — spear thrower
  • Dutch: speerwerper — spear thrower
  • Finnish: heittovipu — spear thrower
  • German: Atlatl — spear thrower
  • German: Speerschleuder — spear thrower
  • Guugu Yimidhirr: milbiir — spear thrower
  • Japanese: アトラトル (atoratoru) — spear thrower
  • Japanese: スピアスロアー (supiasuroā) — spear thrower
  • Marathi: आत्लात्ल (ātlātla) — spear thrower
  • Classical Nahuatl: ahtlatl — spear thrower
  • Ngarrindjeri: thyrallghie — spear thrower
  • Polish: atlatl — spear thrower
  • Portuguese: propulsor — spear thrower
  • Spanish: propulsor — spear thrower
  • Spanish: lanzadardos — spear thrower
  • Spanish: estólica — spear thrower
  • Spanish: átlatl — spear thrower
  • Spanish: lanzavenablos — spear thrower
  • Tlingit: shee áan — spear thrower
  • Yup'ik: nuqaq — spear thrower