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

Forget about using repellants, soap, or sonic devices to keep armadillos away. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2024

The 360-acre preserve is home to a variety of mammals, including bobcats, raccoons, armadillos, opossums, rabbits and foxes. —Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2025

While giant ground sloths, armadillos and even terror birds wandered to the north, fossil elephants called gomphotheres were among the many animal groups to expand into South America. —Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025

Researchers say that the abundance of horses at the site hints at what the landscape looked like around 500,000 years ago, while the assemblage as a whole — with armadillos, sloths, and tapirs as well as horses — reveals the trajectories of evolution throughout the period. —Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025

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