armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

1

: the hollow beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder

2

: the least desirable place : pit

… 77th Street Station … was the armpit of detective duty.

—Joseph Wambaugh

Examples of armpit in a Sentence

a city described as the armpit of America

Recent Examples on the Web

Which might explain why McGlinchey is walking straight into the witch’s armpit with a smile on his face. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026

For example, placing frostbitten fingers in the armpit. —Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Jan. 2026

Researchers collected samples of odor compounds from the armpits of human study participants and then observed how the horses behaved when they were exposed to the different odors during standardized tests, according to research published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One. —Jack Guy, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026

Pretreat other areas that are prone to odor, such as the armpits where deodorant and musty smells build up. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for armpit

• acquit
• admit
• amrit
• backlit
• befit
• cockpit
• commit
• dalit
• dendrite
• emit
• illite
• misfit

Kids Definition

armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

: the hollow beneath the spot where the arm and shoulder join

Medical Definition

armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

: the hollow beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder : axilla