armadillo

noun

ar·​ma·​dil·​lo ˌär-mə-ˈdi-(ˌ)lō 

plural armadillos

: any of a family (Dasypodidae) of burrowing edentate mammals found from the southern U.S. to Argentina and having the body and head encased in an armor of small bony plates

Illustration of armadillo

Examples of armadillo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nayara Tented Camp pushes this forward by creating a sanctuary for sloths out of the reforestation of hundreds of native trees, to grow alongside habitats for native frogs, birds, and armadillos. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026

This personality appeared all by himself in September on the twentieth floor of a New York hotel, as out of place as an armadillo. —Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026

The organization drew inspiration from the armadillo, the state’s official small mammal, which rolls over when it feels threatened. —Aarón Torres, Dallas Morning News, 2 Mar. 2026

While they're sometimes known as scaly anteaters, pangolins are not related in any way to anteaters or armadillos. —ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Spanish, noun derivative, with -illo, diminutive suffix, of armado, past participle of armar "to arm," going back to Latin armāre — more at arm entry 2

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for armadillo

• billow
• pillow
• caudillo

Kids Definition

armadillo

noun

ar·​ma·​dil·​lo ˌär-mə-ˈdil-ō 

plural armadillos

: any of several small burrowing mammals of warm parts of the Americas whose head and body are protected by hard bony armor