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

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

What the armadillo told us By then, the gathering had settled into its civic rhythm. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 3 Feb. 2026

The 10-acre wild animal refuge at 5712 Vía Montellano in Bonsall, is home to more than 100 animals representing 70 species from around the world, ranging from wallabies, bearcats and armadillos to porcupines, binturongs, lynx, marsupials and kinkajou along with an iguana and alligators. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026

Along with the many groundhogs, the winter forecasts were credited to an armadillo, ostriches, and Nigerian dwarf goats. —Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 31 Jan. 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