Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

armadillo

/ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.70 in modern English

Syllables: ar-ma-dil-lo
IPA: /ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/

12

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

4

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Any of the burrowing mammals in the families Dasypodidae, Chlamyphoridae, Tolypeutidae and Euphractidae in the order Cingulata, found in the Americas, especially South America, and covered with bony, jointed protective plates.

Example Sentences

"The San Juan market is Mexico City's most famous deli of exotic meats, where an adventurous shopper can hunt down hard-to-find critters …. But the priciest items in the market aren't the armadillo steaks or even the bluefin tuna."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmos Proto-Italic *armosder. Latin arma Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin armō ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin armātus Old Spanish armado Spanish armado Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin -ellus Old Spanish -iello Spanish -illo Spanish armadillobor. English armadillo Borrowed from Spanish armadillo, diminutive of armado (“armored”), in reference to its protective plates.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/
British English: /ɑːməˈdɪləʊ/

Inflected Forms

armadillos (plural) armadilloes (plural)

Phrases

Andean hairy armadillo beautiful armadillo big hairy armadillo Chacoan naked-tailed armadillo dwarf armadillo giant armadillo great long-nosed armadillo greater fairy armadillo

Frequently Paired Words

armor scute Xenarthra

Synonyms

quirquincho

Rhymes With

pillow amarillo carrillo portillo grillo camarillo billow jaramillo delillo carillo petrillo hermosillo

Questions

How do you pronounce armadillo?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/.
What does armadillo mean?: Any of the burrowing mammals in the families Dasypodidae, Chlamyphoridae, Tolypeutidae and Euphractidae in the order Cingulata, found in the Americas, especially South America, and covered with bony, jointed protective plates.
Where does armadillo come from?: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmos Proto-Italic *armosder. Latin arma Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin armō ▲ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātus Latin armātus Old Spanish armado Spanish armado Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin -ellus Old Spanish -iello Spanish -illo Spanish armadillobor. English armadillo Borrowed from Spanish armadillo, diminutive of armado (“armored”), in reference to its protective plates.

How to pronounce armadillo

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “armadillo”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɑɹməˈdɪloʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “armadillo” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.