What does atlatl mean?
An atlatl is a spear-thrower — a simple handheld device, usually a wooden stick with a hook or spur at one end, that extends the thrower's arm and allows a spear or dart to be launched with far greater speed and distance than unaided throwing permits. The word comes from Nahuatl, the Aztec language, and the weapon itself is ancient, having been used by hunters across much of the world long before the bow and arrow appeared. In modern usage, 'atlatl' appears most often in archaeological writing, anthropology, and the community of enthusiasts who practice atlatl competitions as a sport. Its connotations are technical rather than casual, but its vivid history gives it appeal beyond specialists. For readers interested in prehistoric technology or indigenous cultures of the Americas, the atlatl is a key term worth knowing.
nounA spear-thrower: a handheld wooden device used to hurl a spear or dart with greater force and distance than the arm alone.
- A stick-like lever device, held in one hand, that acts as an extension of the arm to propel a spear or dart with increased velocity and range.
"Using an atlatl, the hunter launched the dart well over a hundred yards."
"Archaeologists uncovered an ivory atlatl dating back thousands of years."
"Competitors gathered at the annual atlatl championship to test their accuracy at distant targets."
Regular English plural; some writers occasionally use 'atlatl' as an invariant plural after the Nahuatl pattern, but '-s' is standard.
"Several finely crafted atlatls were recovered from the burial site."
The atlatl predates the bow by tens of thousands of years and can launch a dart faster than a spear thrown bare-handed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of atlatl
The word 'atlatl' comes directly from Nahuatl āhtlatl, the term used by the Aztecs for the spear-thrower, and it entered English through Spanish accounts of Mesoamerica. It shares its Nahuatl origin with other loanwords that reached English via Spanish, such as 'chocolate', 'tomato', 'avocado', and 'coyote'. Unlike many borrowings that were later reshaped, 'atlatl' preserves its indigenous form closely, which is why its pronunciation varies somewhat among English speakers.
Related word forms
How atlatl is actually used
The word is relatively rare in everyday speech but standard in archaeology and among primitive-skills enthusiasts. It is pronounced with stress typically on the first syllable, though variants exist because English speakers adapted it from Nahuatl.
Easily confused with atlatl
An atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef island, while an atlatl is a tool for throwing spears — they merely share a similar sound.