armor

noun

ar·​mor ˈär-mər 

1

: defensive covering for the body

especially : covering (as of metal) used in combat

2

: a quality or circumstance that affords protection

the armor of prosperity

3

: a protective outer layer (as of a ship, a plant or animal, or a cable)

4

: armored forces and vehicles (such as tanks)

armor transitive verb

armorless

ˈär-mər-ləs 

adjective

Illustration of armor

• 1 helmet
• 2 gorget
• 3 shoulder piece
• 4 pallette
• 5 breastplate
• 6 brassard
• 7 elbow piece
• 8 skirt of tasses
• 9 tuille
• 10 gauntlet
• 11 cuisse
• 12 knee piece
• 13 jambeau
• 14 solleret

Synonyms

• ammunition
• defense
• shield
• protection
• weapon
• safeguard
• wall

Examples of armor in a Sentence

The officers are required to wear bulletproof body armor.

The shots penetrated the tank's armor.

The armadillo's armor consists of a series of small, bony plates.

a weapon designed for use against enemy armor

Recent Examples on the Web

Brown served as an Army armor crewman from January 2001 to May 2005, which included a deployment to Iraq from February 2004 to March 2005, Army Maj. Dustin Ramos told USA TODAY. —Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2025

The dopey armor truck guard is the kind of guy that panics under pressure. —Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 4 Aug. 2025

Brown was an armor crewman in the Army from January 2001 to May 2005 and served in the National Guard from April 2006 to March 2008, Army Public Affairs confirmed to Fox News Digital. —Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 Aug. 2025

Brown served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and was deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, according to Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Ruth Castro. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 2 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English armure, armoure "arms, body armor," borrowed from Anglo-French & continental Old French, going back to Latin armātūra "armament, troop" (Medieval Latin, "suit of armor") — more at armature

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing armor

• anti-armor
• armor-plated
• knight in shining armor
• scale armor

Rhymes for armor

• charmer
• harmer

Kids Definition

armor

noun

ar·​mor ˈär-mər 

1

: a covering (as of metal) to protect the body in battle

2

: a protective covering (as the steel sides of a battleship or the covering of an animal or plant)

3

: armored forces and vehicles (as tanks)