armistice

American  

[ahr-muh-stis] / ˈɑr mə stɪs /

noun

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

• postarmistice noun

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; 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

Example Sentences

A United Nations bus came to transport returnees past the so-called Yellow Line, an armistice boundary created after the ceasefire that separates portions of Gaza controlled by Hamas and Israel.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

He’s been little more than an emcee for negotiations, but wants us to think he invented armistice.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

The Ta'ang National Liberation Army agreed to an armistice in October, after the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army handed back once bitterly contested Lashio in April.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

Biden hammered out the first deal toward an armistice on Nov. 23 of that year, just a month and a half after the war began.

From Slate • Oct. 16, 2025

In October, Joe published a paper in which he wrote that negotiations with the government were not armistice talks in which we could dictate terms to a defeated enemy.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• ceasefire
• truce