armor-piercing

[ ahr-mer-peer-sing ]

adjective

1. (of bullets, artillery shells, etc.) designed especially for piercing armor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of armor-piercing¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Last year, Putin specifically linked the move to the U.K. government’s decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing shells containing depleted uranium.

From Seattle Times

Mr. Conter, who held the rank of quartermaster, a position assisting in the Arizona’s navigation, was on his shift shortly after 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, when a Japanese armor-piercing bomb penetrated five steel decks and blew up more than one million pounds of gunpowder and thousands of rounds of ammunition stored in its hull as the ship was moored in the harbor, in Honolulu, Hawaii.

From New York Times

Armor-piercing projectiles blowing up troop carriers.

From New York Times

Although it can carry numerous munitions, the Warthog’s primary built-in weapon is the GAU-8 Avenger autocannon, a hydraulically driven, seven-barrel rotary gun that fires armor-piercing shells.

From Washington Times

The Pentagon on Wednesday announced a new security assistance package worth up to $175 million for Ukraine, including depleted uranium ammunition for Abrams tanks, the first time the U.S. is sending the controversial armor-piercing munitions to Kyiv.

From Reuters