army
Americannoun
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the military forces of a nation, exclusive of the navy and in some countries the air force.
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(in large military land forces) a unit consisting typically of two or more corps and a headquarters.
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a large body of persons trained and armed for war.
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any body of persons organized for any purpose.
an army of census takers.
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a very large number or group of something; a great multitude; a host.
the army of the unemployed.
noun
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the military land forces of a nation
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a military unit usually consisting of two or more corps with supporting arms and services
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(modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of an army
army rations
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any large body of people united for some specific purpose
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a large number of people, animals, etc; multitude
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of army
1350–1400; Middle English armee < Middle French < Latin armāta. Cf. Armada
Explanation
An army is an organized group of fighters, especially a country's official military force. When a country goes to war, it sends an army to fight. An army is typically defined as fighting on land, while a navy battles at sea, and some countries make this even more clear by distinguishing their "Land Army" from their "Air Army." The 14th century meaning of army was "armed expedition," from the Old French armée and the Latin root armata, "armed, equipped, or in arms."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The British Army covertly took over a disused part of the London Underground in central London to plan a Nato military response to possible future Russian attacks.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said the system is “absolutely incredible,” outmatching comparable U.S. platforms.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026
He accepted the terrifying job of commanding the Continental Army.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Army soldier Gannon Ken Van Dyke now faces federal charges for using classified information to make bets related to the U.S. military action in Venezuela using Polymarket.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
It had been the hardest winter since records began; the Red Army was stretched even thinner than it had been at the beginning of the war.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
