What does "armor" mean?

1. (protective clothing) special clothing, often made of metal, that soldiers wore in the past to protect their bodies in battle. 2. (vehicle protection) strong metal plates used to protect tanks, ships, or planes from explosions and bullets. 3. (military units) a group of tanks and other heavy vehicles in an army. 4. (natural protection) the hard natural shell or skin on some animals, like turtles or armadillos. 5. (to equip with protection) to cover something with a protective layer to keep it safe.

armor — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01protective clothing

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun American English

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

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

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

“The knight's armor was so heavy that he required assistance from his squire just to mount his horse before the tournament began.”

Synonyms

protection mailsuit of armor

02vehicle protection

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Military American English

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

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

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

“Modern military engineers are developing composite armor that provides superior protection against anti-tank missiles while remaining relatively lightweight.”

Synonyms

plating shielding

03military units

C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Military American English · Technical

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

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

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

“The division's armor was deployed to the border as a deterrent, signaling a significant escalation in the regional conflict.”

Synonyms

cavalry tanks

Antonyms

infantry

04natural protection

B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Science American English

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

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

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

“The evolutionary development of bony armor in certain fish species provided a significant survival advantage against larger aquatic predators.”

Synonyms

shell carapace scales

05to equip with protection

C1 · Advanced American English · Formal

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

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

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

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

Synonyms

fortify shield protect

Antonyms

strip expose

“Both wear body armour when close to the front line.”

BBC News 15 Sept 2026

“Palmer gives you nothing to bite on, no gaps in the armour.”

The Guardian 28 Aug 2026

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.

VERB

NOUN

armor(B2)