'bowmanship' originates from English, specifically formed from the noun 'bow' and the suffix '-manship' (from 'man' + '-ship'), where 'bow' meant 'a weapon for shooting arrows' and '-manship' indicates 'skill or art of'.

'bowmanship' is a modern compound modeled on formations like 'marksmanship' and 'showmanship', combining 'bow' + 'man' + 'ship' to denote the skill of using a bow.

Initially and currently it has the meaning 'skill in using a bow'; the sense has remained consistent as a term for proficiency in archery.