armor

noun ar·mor \ ˈär-mər \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: armor in a Sentence

Definition of armor

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)

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armor

transitive verb

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armorless

play \-mər-ləs\ adjective

See armor defined for English-language learners

See armor defined for kids

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 of armor from the Web

At another, a collection inspired by medieval armor closed with a model surrounded by a ring of fire.

— meagan fredette, refinery29.com, "Alexander McQueen Documentary Showcases The Rise Of His Tragic Genius," 3 June 2018
There is something rare and magical about watching someone broadcast their life with little to no armor on.

— lindsey lanquist, SELF, "Do Yourself a Favor and Follow My Best Friend’s Mom on Instagram," 25 May 2018
Demonstrations include flint knapping, 17th century medicines, open hearth cooking, quillwork, finger weaving, military drills and arms and armor.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Vernon Edition," 15 May 2018
Not only could they be used for everyday tasks, axes were also handy in war for hooking under opponents' armor and helmets.

— domenica bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "At Viking Fest, watch fighters whack each other, eat turkey legs and try on chainmail," 21 Apr. 2018
Up to 100 players control soldiers airdropped onto one of several maps to forage for weapons, armor and other supplies while fighting it out with each other until only one remains, reported Polygon.

— don sweeney, sacbee, "This ransomware doesn’t want your cash. It just wants you to play a game | The Sacramento Bee," 10 Apr. 2018
As Brian Switek reported for Smithsonian.com in 2016, researchers came to a similar conclusion about the tank-like armor and club-like tails of ankylosaur dinosaurs.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Dinosaur Horns Were For Making Love, Not War," 23 Mar. 2018
The armor on the top side of her trunk was thick, latticed in a pattern of rectangles sweeping down to the underbelly, which was full and soft.

— jason florio, Smithsonian, "The Dangerous Work of Relocating 5,000-Pound Rhinos," 22 May 2018
The investigators determined that Paddock bought more than 600 incendiary and armor-plated rounds from Haig and that some bore tool marks suggesting that Haig had reloaded them himself.

— michael kiefer, azcentral, "Case of Mesa ammo dealer who sold to Las Vegas shooter remains in limbo," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'armor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of armor

Origin and Etymology of armor

Middle English armure, from Anglo-French, from Latin armatura — more at armature

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

armor Synonyms

Synonyms

capsule, case, casing, cocoon, cover, covering, encasement, housing, hull, husk, jacket, pod, sheath, shell;

Related Words

cartridge, cassette (also casette);

bark, crust;

carapace, house, mail, panoply, plate, plating, shield;

cuticle, hide, skin;

envelope, package, wrapper;

backing, coating, coverture, facing;

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

ARMOR Defined for English Language Learners

armor

noun

Definition of armor for English Language Learners

: special clothing that people wear to protect their bodies from weapons
: a hard covering that protects something (such as a vehicle or an animal)
: soldiers and vehicles (such as tanks) that are protected with armor

ARMOR Defined for Kids

armor

noun ar·mor \ ˈär-mər \

Definition of armor for Students

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

2 : a hard covering that provides protection

A turtle's shell is its armor.

3 : armored forces and vehicles (as tanks)

Learn More about armor

See words that rhyme with armor Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for armor Spanish Central: Translation of armor Nglish: Translation of armor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of armor for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about armor

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armor

Definition of armor

armor

armorless

Examples of armor in a Sentence

Recent Examples of armor from the Web

Illustration of armor

Origin and Etymology of armor

armor Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Other Military Terms

Phrases Related to ARMOR

Related Phrases

ARMOR Defined for English Language Learners

armor

Definition of armor for English Language Learners

ARMOR Defined for Kids

armor

Definition of armor for Students

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