[app. f. Toxophil-us imaginary proper name invented by Ascham, and hence title of his book (1545), intended to mean ‘lover of the bow’ (f. Gr. τόξον bow + φίλος love), for which the regular Gr. formation would have been *φιλότοξος: see -PHIL, PHILO-) + -ITE1: quasi ‘a follower of Toxophilus.’] A lover or devotee of archery, an archer.
1813. J. C. Hobhouse, Journey (ed. 2), 929. Memorials of the distance to which some of the Sultans, and other distinguished Toxophilites, have shot their arrows.
1845. Thackeray, Leg. Rhine, viii. His Grace … gives an archery meeting once a year, and prizes for which we toxophilites muster strong.
1868. Miss Braddon, Dead Sea Fr., xxi. A triumphant display of his genius as a toxophilite.
b. attrib. Of or pertaining to archers or archery.
1794. Sporting Mag., III. 206. That the Toxophilite Society shall not exceed the number of one hundred and sixty subscribing members.
1845. Thackeray, Leg. Rhine, viii. All his new toxophilite friends. Ibid. (1848), Van. Fair, iii. To wear Lincoln Green toxophilite hats and feathers.
Hence (nonce-wds.) Toxophilitic a., pertaining or relating to archers or archery; Toxophilitism, Toxophilism, Toxophily, the practice of, or addiction to, archery.
1887. All Year Round, 29 Sept., 185. The spirit of *toxophilism is essentially different from … the spirit of the age.
1857. Chamb. Jrnl., VII. 141. The *toxophilitic proficiency of William Tell.
1840. T. Hook, in New Monthly Mag., LX. 152. Dressed in green, with hats, and feathers, and quivers, and all the paraphernalia of *toxophilitism.
1887. Field, 16 July, 103/1. Amongst the votaries of *toxophily.
