armada
/ɑɹˈmɑdə/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.12 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A fleet of warships, especially with reference to the Spanish Armada.
name
The Spanish Armada which sailed against England in 1588.
Example Sentences
- "An armada of insects attacked us every day at sunset."
- "That honour belongs to a hairy-footed flower bee, a breeding pair of geese, some dragonfly nymphs, a flock of grey wagtails, a prickle of hedgehogs, an armada of newts, a flutter of spring butterflies and a “very cheeky” fox."
- "During some wet years you may be privy to viewing an armada of newts, as they are collectively called."
- "We all got excited for a minute or two when the needle started wiggling forward on Six Boulders Trail, but when we came out onto the open ledge and saw an armada of star-eating newts basking in the sun, Audrey sighed, and Francis threw up his hands like those newts were tricksters who'd snatched away his riches."
Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish armada (“fleet, navy”), from Medieval Latin armāta, from the feminine past participle of Latin armō, from arma. Doublet of army.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *h₂er-, armāta, armō
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɑɹˈmɑdə/
- British English: /ɑːˈmɑːdə/
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Military.