army

English Online Dictionary. What means army‎? What does army mean?

English

Etymology

From (1386) Middle English armee, borrowed from Old French armee (cf. modern French armée), from Medieval Latin armāta (“armed force”), a noun taken from the past participle of Latin armāre (“to arm”), itself related to arma (“tools, arms”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to join, fit together”). Doublet of armada. Displaced native Old English here and fierd.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: ä'mē, IPA^(key): /ˈɑː.miː/
• (General American) enPR: är'mē, IPA^(key): /ˈɑɹ.mi/
• (General Australian) enPR: ä'mē, IPA^(key): /ˈɐː.mi(ː)/
• Rhymes: -ɑː(ɹ)mi

Noun

army (plural armies)

1. A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
   • 1858, Prince George, letter to Sir Colin Campbell:

     An army never can be commanded or controlled by civilians.

   1. Used absolutely for that entire branch of the armed forces.

   2. (often capitalized) Within a vast military, a very large tactical contingent (e.g. a number of divisions).

2. The governmental agency in charge of a state's army.

3. (figuratively) A large group of people working toward the same purpose.
4. (figuratively) A large group of social animals working toward the same purpose.

5. (figuratively) Any multitude.

6. The military as a whole.

Synonyms

• host
• here

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• navy
• Air Force
• Marines

Anagrams

• Mary, Mayr, Myra, Yarm, mary, yarm