The feathers attached to an arrow or the process of attaching feathers to an arrow shaft; the skill or craft of making arrows complete.
From 'fletch' (to attach feathers) plus the '-ing' suffix (indicating an action or result). The gerund form emerged as archers referred both to the process and the product of their work.
Modern fletching materials have evolved from goose feathers to synthetic plastics—but the fundamental aerodynamic principle remains unchanged. Olympic archers still use principles that medieval bowyers discovered by trial and error.
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