armor

[ ahr-mer ]

noun

1. any covering worn as a defense against weapons.
2. a suit of armor.
3. a metallic sheathing or protective covering, especially metal plates, used on warships, armored vehicles, airplanes, and fortifications.
4. mechanized units of military forces, as armored divisions.
5. Also called armament. any protective covering, as on certain animals, insects, or plants.
6. any quality, characteristic, situation, or thing that serves as protection:

   A chilling courtesy was his only armor.

7. the outer, protective wrapping of metal, usually fine, braided steel wires, on a cable.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover or equip with armor or armor plate.

armor

/ ˈɑːmə /

noun

1. See armour
   the US spelling of armour

Other Words From

• armor·less adjective
• anti·armor adjective
• sub·armor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of armor¹

1250–1300; Middle English armo ( u ) r, armure < Anglo-French armour ( e ), armure Old French armëure < Latin armātūra armature; assimilated, in Middle English and Anglo-French, to nouns ending in -our -or ²

Idioms and Phrases

see chink in one's armor ; knight in shining armor .

Example Sentences

As the mobs smashed through Capitol police barricades, broke doors and windows and charged into the Capitol with body armor and weapons, many of us hid behind chairs and under desks or barricaded ourselves in offices.

From Washington Post

As the mob smashed through Capitol Police barricades, broke doors and windows, and charged into the Capitol with body armor and weapons, many of us hid behind chairs and under desks or barricaded ourselves in offices.

From Washington Post

The team also touched up every “character, enemy, armor, gun, casual outfit” through “Mass Effect 1 and 2,” and “many” in the third entry.

From Washington Post

Some beetles wear armor made of their own poop to avoid getting eaten.

From Science News For Students

Arthropods instead put their tough stuff on the outside where it acts as a suit of armor, Edgecombe says.

From Science News For Students

Another member of the plot took care of the ammo along with black uniforms, night-vision equipment, and body armor.

From The Daily Beast

Unlike all the trailers and screen shots for the movie, in the Bible Moses never holds a sword or wears armor.

From The Daily Beast

And he would especially like American FGM-148 Javelins, man-portable anti-tank missiles to hit at Russian armor.

From The Daily Beast

My finger burned when it touched the blossom of lead embedded in the ceramic armor.

From The Daily Beast

This would seem reasonable, since in that direction lay the only territory open enough for swift attack by armor.

From The Daily Beast

The governor made a strong thrust at him, which almost knocked him down; but showed that he was clad in armor.

From Project Gutenberg

What the armor-bearer was for the warlike races of old, such is the tchbukdi for their degenerate descendants.

From Project Gutenberg

Absurd as that taffeta dress was for a child of her age, it seemed to her an armor against all disaster.

From Project Gutenberg

Edward, prince of Wales (called the black prince from the color of his armor), died, aged 46.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course, I couldn't get these people to leave off their armor; they wouldn't do that when they bathed.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bulletproof vest
• shield