armour
UK[ˈɑːmə]US[ˈɑːrmər]
n
a strong, hard covering worn to protect the body during fighting
n
military vehicles that are covered with strong metal plates for protection
n
the protective metal plates covering a military vehicle or ship
n
a group of military units that use armoured vehicles
Etymology
the word 'armour' entered english in the late 13th century from the old french 'armure', which itself derived from the latin 'armatura', meaning 'arms, equipment, armour'. the latin root is 'arma', signifying 'arms, tools, implements of war'. this latin term is of uncertain, possibly etruscan, origin, though it is sometimes speculatively linked to the proto-indo-european root h₂er- ('to fit together'), which would connect it to concepts of joining and articulation. the core semantic journey is from the general idea of tools or implements, specifically narrowing in romance and germanic languages to denote the protective equipment used in warfare, a meaning fully established by the time it was borrowed into middle english.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from old french. it is not productively segmented into smaller, meaningful morphemes in modern english.
Examples
the knight was clad in a full suit of shining plate armour.
the infantry advanced under the cover of heavy armour.
the ship's armour was thick enough to withstand a direct hit.