armor

play

noun ar·mor \ ˈär-mər \

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

And a beautiful woman who is not wearing a ball gown and diamond, but is wearing chinos and body armor doing a lonely walk through an area that and who was being cleared of mines.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Why Princess Diana's Fight Against Landmines Was So Groundbreaking," 18 Aug. 2017
Some came prepared for a fight, with body armor and helmets.

— Bloomberg.com, "Man Accused of Ramming Protesters Pictured With Racist Group," 13 Aug. 2017
Grey Worm, in full battle armor, is prepared to fight.

— chanel vargas, Harper's BAZAAR, "These Game of Thrones Photos Hint at What's to Come for Jon and Daenerys," 26 July 2017
Once, gold saved my writing hand when I was caught in the doors of the Buenos Aires metro and my bangle buckled like armor around the bones of my wrist.

— carina del valle schorske, The Cut, "Gold, History, and My Body," 25 July 2017
The Trailhawk includes signature red tow hooks, underbody armor and Kevlar®- reinforced tires help protect against stray obstacles, while the comfortable interior enhances your ride, on the road, trail or something else entirely.

— clifford attiyeh, Car and Driver, "2019 BMW X5 M Spied," 20 July 2017
To not need any of the armor of power — aides or clothes or lawyers or polished shoes.

— vanessa friedman, New York Times, "How to Dress Down Like a Power Player," 19 July 2017
Shirtless, his heavily tattooed chest played as body armor.

— tim kiernan, SI.com, "There could be more substance to Mayweather-McGregor than purists think," 14 July 2017
The Marines killed this week were headed to Yuma, Arizona, with guns, ammunition, radios and body armor to participate in training for an eventual deployment somewhere in the Middle East.

— Washington Post, "Elite Marines killed in crash share WWII commando heritage," 12 July 2017

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

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armor Synonyms

Synonyms

aegis (also egis), ammunition, defense, buckler, cover, guard, protection, safeguard, screen, security, shield, wall, ward

Related Words

arm, armament, munitions, weapon, weaponry; fastness, fort, fortress, palisade, stronghold

Near Antonyms

aggression, assault, attack, offense (or offence), offensive

Other Military Terms

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

ARMOR Defined for English Language Learners

armor

play

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

play

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

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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

Near Antonyms

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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