Boomerang Glossary: Parts, Flight and Throwing Terms

Glossary

This section explains the words that come up when people talk or write about boomerangs. The terms are split into three groups: what a boomerang is made of, what happens to it in flight, and what goes into a throw. The explanations are deliberately simple, with no formulas or figures.

"Comes back" isn't quite accurate: a boomerang doesn't turn around and reverse — it keeps turning smoothly the whole time, and its path adds up to a wide loop.

— Editor's note

Parts

Blade: One of the boomerang's "wings." A classic boomerang has two; some have three or four. In cross-section a blade is shaped like a wing, so it creates lift in flight.
Elbow: The point where the blades meet — the bend in the middle of the boomerang. The shape of the elbow has a big effect on how the boomerang behaves in the air.
Leading edge: The edge of a blade that meets the air first as it spins. It is usually more rounded, while the trailing edge is thinner. On a left-handed boomerang the leading edges are mirrored.
Airfoil: The cross-section shape of a blade: one side is more curved, the other nearly flat, like a wing. The airfoil is what sets a returning boomerang apart from a plain bent stick.

Flight

Spin: The whole point of the wrist snap. Without spin the blades don't work like wings and the boomerang doesn't turn — it just flies and falls.
Lift: The force a blade creates as it moves through the air — the same force that holds a wing up. At the top of a spinning boomerang the blade moves into the air faster, so the lift there is greater.
Precession: The tendency of a spinning object to respond to a push by turning to the side instead of tilting. Because of it, the uneven lift on the blades doesn't flip the boomerang over but smoothly turns it around.
Arc: The boomerang's path through the air. It doesn't fly out and back in a straight line; it traces a wide loop and reaches the thrower from the side or almost from the front.
Hover: The last part of the flight, when the boomerang slows down, lies almost flat and drifts gently down while still spinning. This is the moment when it's easiest to catch.

Throwing

Grip: How you hold the boomerang before the throw: by the tip of one blade, loosely, without clamping it in your whole palm. A loose grip helps your wrist put spin on the boomerang.
Tilt: The boomerang's position as you throw. A returning boomerang is held almost vertical, with a slight tilt; thrown flat, it usually shoots straight up.
Angle to the wind: The direction of the throw relative to the wind. Right-handers are usually advised to throw about 45° to the right of the direction the wind is coming from; left-handers, to the left.
Catch: The end of the flight. A slow, hovering boomerang is caught sandwich-style, clapped between both palms. A fast one, or one flying at your face, is not caught: you duck and turn away.

Where to read more

How-to
A step-by-step article on learning to throw a boomerang, plus a catalogue of upcoming articles.
Questions
Short answers about flight, choosing a boomerang, throwing, catching and staying safe on the field.
Collections
Themed paths: indoor boomerangs, a family outing, and what to do on a windy day.
Topics
A map of the topics: how it works, gear, throwing and catching, safety, and a little history.

Questions
Short answers about flight, choosing a boomerang, throwing, catching and staying safe on the field.
Collections
Themed paths: indoor boomerangs, a family outing, and what to do on a windy day.
What's new
A feed of new pages in the reference, with dates and topic tags.

Sources

Beginner's guides to throwing a boomerang (in general terms)
Popular explanations of the aerodynamics of a spinning wing (in general terms)
Editorial materials of the Bumerang 33 reference

Information is current as of the date it was prepared. Boomerangs differ in shape, weight and throwing advice, so check the instructions that came with yours. Rules for parks, sports fields and other grounds are set by their owners.