a kind of militia or soldiery armed with bows and arrows. The word is formed of arcus, a bow; whence arcuarius, and even arquius and arquites, as they are also denominated in the corrupt state of the Latin tongue. Archers were much employed in former times; but they are now laid aside, excepting in Turkey and some of the eastern countries. As an exercise, the practice of archery is still kept up in many places.