ENGLISH
REFERENCE

armor

n. · v.
US //ˈɑɹmɝ// ar·mor
  1. 1 protective clothing (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English

    special clothing, often made of metal, that soldiers wore in the past to protect their bodies in battle.

    protective covering for the body, historically made of metal plates or chainmail, worn to prevent injury during combat.

    Example

    The museum has a famous collection of steel armor worn by knights in the Middle Ages.

    Example

    The knight's armor was so heavy that he required assistance from his squire just to mount his horse before the tournament began.
  2. 2 vehicle protection (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Military

    strong metal plates used to protect tanks, ships, or planes from explosions and bullets.

    reinforced plating applied to military vehicles, naval vessels, or aircraft to diffuse the force of projectiles or explosives.

    Example

    The tank's thick armor protected the crew from the blast.

    Example

    Modern military engineers are developing composite armor that provides superior protection against anti-tank missiles while remaining relatively lightweight.
  3. 3 military units (n.)
    C1 Advanced American English Technical Military

    a group of tanks and other heavy vehicles in an army.

    a military branch or formation consisting primarily of tanks and other armored fighting vehicles.

    Example

    The general ordered the armor to move forward across the open field.

    Example

    The division's armor was deployed to the border as a deterrent, signaling a significant escalation in the regional conflict.
  4. 4 natural protection (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Science

    the hard natural shell or skin on some animals, like turtles or armadillos.

    a tough, protective outer layer or shell occurring naturally on certain animals or plants.

    Example

    An armadillo has a tough layer of armor to protect it from predators.

    Example

    The evolutionary development of bony armor in certain fish species provided a significant survival advantage against larger aquatic predators.
  5. 5 to equip with protection (v.)
    C1 Advanced American English Formal

    to cover something with a protective layer to keep it safe.

    to equip a person, vehicle, or object with protective plating or a hardened coating.

    Example

    The company decided to armor their delivery trucks after several robberies.

    Example

    Engineers were tasked to armor the cockpit of the transport plane without exceeding the maximum takeoff weight.
Origin

From Middle English armure, armour, armor, armeure, borrowed from Anglo-Norman armure and Old French armeüre, from Latin armātūra. Doublet of armature and armure. By surface analysis, arm (“to cover or furnish”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns or nouns of quality, state, or condition).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms2 entries
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Last updated June 20, 2026