armor

noun

ar·​mor ˈär-mər 

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)

armor transitive verb

armorless

ˈär-mər-ləs 

adjective

Illustration of armor

• 1 helmet
• 2 gorget
• 3 shoulder piece
• 4 pallette
• 5 breastplate
• 6 brassard
• 7 elbow piece
• 8 skirt of tasses
• 9 tuille
• 10 gauntlet
• 11 cuisse
• 12 knee piece
• 13 jambeau
• 14 solleret

Synonyms

• ammunition
• defense
• shield
• protection
• weapon
• safeguard
• wall

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 on the Web

The Army said Brown was an armor crewman from January 2001 to May 2005 and was in the Montana National Guard from April 2006 to March 2009. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2025

She’s dressed as Joan of Arc in a suit of armor, been the Statue of Liberty complete with spiky headdress. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2025

This year alone, thieves stole three Humvees and other military gear from an Army Reserve center in Tustin, California; raided storage containers at a Colorado National Guard facility; and allegedly attempted to steal body armor and communications gear from a US Army Ranger site in Washington. —Dell Cameron, Wired News, 7 Aug. 2025

Lastly, the developers changed how armor and weapons work in the game. —Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English armure, armoure "arms, body armor," borrowed from Anglo-French & continental Old French, going back to Latin armātūra "armament, troop" (Medieval Latin, "suit of armor") — more at armature

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing armor

• anti-armor
• armor-plated
• knight in shining armor
• scale armor

Rhymes for armor

• charmer
• harmer

Kids Definition

armor

noun

ar·​mor ˈär-mər 

1

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

2

: a protective covering (as the steel sides of a battleship or the covering of an animal or plant)

3

: armored forces and vehicles (as tanks)