armistice

American  

[ahr-muh-stis] / ˈɑr mə stɪs /

noun

• armistices
  plural

1. a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement of the warring parties; truce.

   World War I ended with the armistice of 1918.

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armistice British  

/ ˈɑːmɪstɪs /

noun

1. an agreement between opposing armies to suspend hostilities in order to discuss peace terms; truce

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postarmistice
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• armistices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of armistice

First recorded in 1670–80; from French, from Medieval Latin armistitium, equivalent to Latin armi- (combining form of arma “weapons, arms, instruments of war”) + -stitium “a stopping” ( stit- being a variant stem of sistere “to stop,” and modeled on Latin solstitium “solstice”) + -ium neuter of -ius adjective and noun suffix; see origin at arm ², solstice, stand, -ium

Compare meaning

How does armistice compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• armistice vs. treaty

Explanation

When two sides of a war need a break from killing each other, they agree to an armistice, a temporary battle timeout. An armistice isn’t permanent, but it’s usually a sign that both sides want to give peace a chance. War is exhausting, and sometimes you need an armistice to catch your breath and figure out a more peaceful way to live. The word has two Greek roots: arma which means “weapons,” and stitium which means “stoppage.” When you’re ready to stop using your weapons, it’s time to propose an armistice. Although the word looks like a mouthful, it’s easy to pronounce if you remember that it’s an arm with two rhymes: ARM-iss-tiss.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

armistice armistices

A 1953 armistice halted hostilities but left the two Koreas technically in a state of war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

It vowed to take "corresponding measures" for what it said was a violation of a decades-old armistice.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The United Nations Command, which conducted the on-site investigations into the blasts with the South Korean military, said it would handle the violation of the 1953 armistice "through established Armistice mechanisms".

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The two Koreas technically remain at war, following a 1953 armistice that suspended active hostilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026

I urge General Gowon, in the name of humanity, to order his troops to pause while an armistice is negotiated.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

By November the central powers had been forced to sign the armistices that brought the fighting to a close in the west.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

It was the first time a German leader had returned to the spot where both World War I and World War II armistices were concluded.

From New York Times ● Nov. 10, 2018

So often had New Yorkers been fooled by false armistices that they were unable to believe the strike had ended until the now-unfamiliar dailies were there on the newsstands.

From Time Magazine Archive

Stuffing his script into his pocket, Harry Truman added that he wanted to give the reporters a lecture on fake stories about cease-fires and armistices.

From Time Magazine Archive

After the fall of Calais a succession of armistices or truces suspended hostilities for about six years.

From Cabinet Portrait Gallery of British Worthies Volume I by Anonymous

Related Words

• ceasefire
• truce