busur

Busur is a term in Indonesian and Malay that denotes a bow, as used in archery, and more broadly refers to a curved shape or arc. In everyday language, busur most commonly means a bow and is used in compounds such as busur panah for the archery bow, and busur biola to indicate a violin bow.

In geometry and descriptive language, busur means the arc of a circle or any curved segment between two points on a circumference. This sense is common in mathematical writing and in descriptions of curved architectural or natural forms.

The word can also appear in historical or cultural contexts related to bows and archery equipment, as well as in musical contexts where a bowed instrument is discussed. In general use, busur is understood from context and is not a proper noun unless it is used as a name. The plural form follows normal Indonesian and Malay patterns, with plurality inferred from context rather than a change in form.

Overall, busur serves dual purposes in Indonesian and Malay: it names both objects used for bowing (archery and string instruments) and the geometric concept of an arc. It is a native term with cognates in related languages.