armature

ar·ma·ture

noun \ˈär-mə-ˌchu̇r, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r\

Definition of ARMATURE

1

: an organ or structure (as teeth or thorns) for offense or defense

2

a : a piece of soft iron or steel that connects the poles of a magnet or of adjacent magnets

b : a usually rotating part of an electric machine (as a generator or motor) which consists essentially of coils of wire around a metal core and in which electric current is induced or in which the input current interacts with a magnetic field to produce torque

c : the movable part of an electromagnetic device (as a loudspeaker)

d : a framework used by a sculptor to support a figure being modeled in a plastic material

e : framework 1a <events that serve as the armature of the book>

Examples of ARMATURE

1. <the rigid armature of a highly stratified society>

Origin of ARMATURE

Middle English, armor, from Latin armatura armor, equipment, from armatus

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to ARMATURE

Synonyms

architecture, frame, cadre, configuration, edifice, fabric, framework, framing, infrastructure, shell, skeleton, structure

Related Words

cage, lattice, network; contour, figure, outline, profile, shape, silhouette; chassis

Rhymes with ARMATURE

amateur, aperture, blackamoor, carrefour, carte du jour, coinsure, commissure, confiture, connoisseur, coverture, curvature, cynosure, embouchure, epicure, filature, forfeiture, garniture, geniture, green-manure, haute couture, immature, insecure, ligature, manicure, overture, paramour, pedicure, plat du jour, portraiture, prelature, premature, quadrature, reassure, Reaumur, reinsure, saboteur, sepulture, sequitur, signature, simon-pure, sinecure, soup du jour, tablature, temperature, to be sure, troubadour, white amur, Yom Kippur