Armada

[ ahr-mah-duh, -mey- ]

noun

1. Also called In·vin·ci·ble Ar·ma·da [in-, vin, -s, uh, -b, uh, l ahr-, mah, -d, uh, -, mey, -],. the fleet sent against England by Philip II of Spain in 1588. It was defeated by the English navy and later dispersed and wrecked by storms.
2. (lowercase) any fleet of warships.
3. (lowercase) a large group or force of vehicles, airplanes, etc.:

   an armada of transport trucks.

Armada

¹

/ ɑːˈmɑːdə /

noun

1. the Armada
   See Spanish Armada

armada

²

/ ɑːˈmɑːdə /

noun

1. a large number of ships or aircraft

Word History and Origins

Origin of Armada¹

1525–35; < Spanish < Latin armāta armed forces, neuter plural of armātus (past participle of armāre to equip with arms). See arm ², -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of Armada¹

C16: from Spanish, from Medieval Latin armāta fleet, armed forces, from Latin armāre to provide with arms

Example Sentences

Since then they have argued that Glocca Mora, now known as Sea Search Armada, has no right to the ship or its treasure.

From BBC

As part of its court case at the Hague, Sea Search Armada commissioned a study of the cargo.

From BBC

“This treasure that sank with the ship included seven million pesos, 116 steel chests full of emeralds, 30 million gold coins,” says Rahim Moloo, the lawyer representing Sea Search Armada.

From BBC

Within a decade after the end of World War II, Washington had 500 overseas military bases ringing Eurasia, a chain of mutual defense pacts and a globe-girding armada of nuclear-armed warships and strategic bombers.

From Salon

And US-based salvage company Sea Search Armada has taken Colombia to the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration, seeking £7.8bn, over claims it first discovered the vessel more than 40 years ago.

From BBC

Related Words

• fleet
• flotilla
• squadron