arma

n. 1. 1 a family comrising the pill bugs.
Syn. -- family Armadillidiidae. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. 1 the type genus of the Armadillidiidae.
Syn. -- genus Armadillidium. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n.; pl. Armadillos [ Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado armed, p. p. of armar to arm. So called from being armed with a bony shell. ] (Zool.) (a) Any edentate animal if the family Dasypidæ, peculiar to America. The body and head are incased in an armor composed of small bony plates. The armadillos burrow in the earth, seldom going abroad except at night. When attacked, they curl up into a ball, presenting the armor on all sides. Their flesh is good food. There are several species, one of which (the peba) is found as far north as Texas. See Peba, Poyou, Tatouay. (b) A genus of small isopod Crustacea that can roll themselves into a ball. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Armada. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the final, decisive battle between the forces of good and evil, as foretold in the Apocolypse of Saint John. Also, the site of that battle. Used metaphorically for a vast and decisive conflict, attended by cataclysmic destruction. [ PJC ]

n. [ L. armamenta, pl., utensils, esp. the tackle of a ship, fr. armare to arm: cf. LL. armamentum, F. armement. ] 1. A body of forces equipped for war; -- used of a land or naval force. “The whole united armament of Greece.” Glover. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil. & Nav.) All the cannon and small arms collectively, with their equipments, belonging to a ship or a fortification. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any equipment for resistance. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. armamentarium, fr. armamentum: cf. F. armamentaire. ] An armory; a magazine or arsenal. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]