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 of armor

• 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

Don’t listen to all the culture war noise about the casting or the armor or whatever. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Prosecutors say the group amassed guns, explosives, drones and body armor, intending to bomb the UFC Freedom 250 crowd and shoot fleeing spectators before the plan was disrupted. — Julie Carr Smyth, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

Police, fire officials plead for funding Police officers in Corvallis, Oregon, rely on body armor funded by the Department of Justice, Corvallis Police Chief Jason Harvey told a federal court in a May legal filing. — Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Even the film’s more sci-fi elements, like the armor for Agamemnon (played by Benny Safdie, appearing like an alternate-universe Batman), are grounded in reality. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 July 2026

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
• plot 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)