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armored

armored

5 4.4
Having a natural hard covering like plates or shells for protection
  • adjective
  • /ˈɑrmərd/
  • US
translation icon : acorazado
  • The armored glyptodonts, extinct relatives of armadillos, were among the most unusual mammals ever to evolve.
  • armored knight
  • armored creature
  • armored bear

Examples

  • Crocodiles look like armored insensitive tanks.

  • Some fish, like the pufferfish, have evolved to become armored, making them more difficult for predators to eat.

  • The great strain of moving their armored bodies, no longer supported by water, made breathing difficult.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Well, some dragonflies have armored skin.

  • That's a good one, but the Ankylosaurus was an armored dinosaur.

  • Light from paper lanterns gleamed on their recoilless cannons and dark armored carapaces.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Walking through Mahaneh Yehuda, Elias Amarillo sees armored plates being riveted to the front of a bus.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The armadillo is an armored animal, covered in tough scales that protect it from predators.

  • The turtle slowly crawled across the sand, its armored shell providing a safe haven from potential threats.

Synonyms

clad
vsarmored
13 6.7

Covered with a thin layer of metal

denotes natural animal-made protection rather than general material covering
armor-plated
vsarmored
  • US
2 5.3

A vehicle or object with thick metal on the outside to protect against attack

describes biological protective coverings rather than heavy manufactured armor
shelled
vsarmored
1 1.9

Having a hard outer covering like a crab or nut

is the same idea but stresses natural animal-made coverings not manufactured ones
plated
vsarmored
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Covered with metal plates for strength and protection

is about biological protective coverings rather than fitted metal or plates
armor-clad
vsarmored
  • US
1 7.2

Covered with heavy metal plates for protection

applies to natural animal coverings, not heavy defensive metal armor
bony-plated
vsarmored
7.6

A body covered in hard plates made of bone for protection

is about natural animal coverings generally, not only bony plates
bone-covered
vsarmored
8.4

An animal with a hard outer layer of bone that protects its body

refers broadly to natural protective coverings, not just bone material
sheathed
vsarmored
5.8

Covered by a protective layer or case

focuses on natural body protection rather than any general outer covering

Antonyms

1 6.7

Not wearing metal plates or a hard cover for protection

Compounds

34 3.5

A vehicle with strong metal walls that carries money or valuables

armored vehicle
  • Specialized
22 3.4

A vehicle with heavy metal protection that keeps people safe from attack, like a tank or police van

14 5.3

A military vehicle with metal protection that carries soldiers safely

2 5.5

A military vehicle on wheels with light armor and a machine gun for combat

1 6.7

A freshwater fish from South America with bony plates on its body

7.6

A heavy military machine like a tank with heavy metal plates, tracks, and a large gun for fighting

A dinosaur with bony plates on its body for protection

armored scale
  • Specialized
9.6

A small insect with a hard wax covering that sticks to leaves and stems

armored sea robin
  • Specialized
9.9

A fish with bony plates and chin whiskers that lives near the continental slope

armored searobin
  • Specialized
9.9

A fish that has bony plates on its sides and chin whiskers for finding food on the sea floor

lightly armored
  • Specialized
6.7

With thin armor that protects against small weapons but not heavy ones

How Armored

shelled
1 1.9
armored
  • US
5 4.4
scaled
4.9
unarmored
  • US
1 6.7

Surface Forms

armored positive
armoured positive

Morphology

armored = armor (transparent) = armor + ed

Formed by adding -ed to 'armor', meaning 'having a protective covering', which directly applies to natural coverings like scales or shells.

Etymology

Armored comes from the same root armor, which is about 'protection', and people use it for animals that have natural protective coverings. That's why an armored animal, like an armadillo or pangolin, has hard plates, scales, or a shell to defend itself.