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

Pyongyang is under multiple sets of sanctions over its nuclear programme, and the two Koreas remain technically at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

The Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty in 1953, meaning North and South Korea remain technically at war.

From BBC ● May 29, 2026

De Gaulle, on the other hand, was a mere brigadier and junior minister who had fled his country after the French government announced in 1940 that it would seek an armistice with Germany.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 13, 2026

Rothman all but declared the armistice a failure, urging Vice President J.D.

From Slate ● Apr. 10, 2026

He had made a difficult journey of six days, pulling along the mule, who was dying of hunger, in order to arrive at the armistice on time.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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

In the years between the two armistices France made a national shrine of that spot in the Forest of Compi�gne.

From Time Magazine Archive

"We are finished with gimmicks�with observers and emergency forces and demilitarized zones and armistices," she said.

From Time Magazine Archive

This Council had a membership identical with that of the Supreme War Council, which controlled the armistices, their enforcement, and other military matters.

From The Peace Negotiations A Personal Narrative by Lansing, Robert

Related Words

• ceasefire
• truce