ar·ma·da

(är-mä′də, -mā′-)

1. A fleet of warships.

2. A large group of moving things: an armada of ants crossing the lawn.

[Spanish, from Medieval Latin armāta; see army.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

armada

(ɑːˈmɑːdə)

(Military) a large number of ships or aircraft

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

Armada

(ɑːˈmɑːdə)

(Historical Terms) the Armada See Spanish Armada

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Ar•ma•da

(ɑrˈmɑ də, -ˈmeɪ-)

n., pl. -das.

1. Also called Spanish Armada. the fleet sent against England by Philip II of Spain in 1588, defeated by the English navy.

2. (l.c.) any fleet of warships.

3. (l.c.) a large group or force of vehicles, airplanes, etc.: an armada of transport trucks.

[1525–35; < Sp < Vulgar Latin *armāta; see army]

Armada

an armed force; a fleet of ships of war, specifically, the fleet sent against England by Philip of Spain in 1588.

Examples: an armada of ships, 1533; of aircraft.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

armada - a large fleet

fleet - a group of warships organized as a tactical unit

armada

noun fleet, navy, squadron, flotilla An armada of allied ships participated in the invasion.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Armada

αρμάδα

flotta

armada

[ɑːˈmɑːdə] N → flota f, armada f
the Armada (Hist) → la (Armada) Invencible

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

armada

[ˌɑː^rˈmɑːdə] n → armada f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

armada

n → Armada f; the Armada → die Armada; (= battle) → die Armadaschlacht

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

armada

[ɑːˈmɑːdə] n → armata (navale)

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Although with the destruction of the Invincible Armada the sea power of Spain had been crippled, it had not been utterly broken, and still whenever Spanish and English ships met on the seas, there was sure to be battle.

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Our warriors then rushed up to the roofs of the buildings which we occupied and followed the retreating armada with a continuous fusillade of deadly fire.

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This was as great a deliverance for New England as that which Old England had experienced in the days of Queen Elizabeth, when the Spanish Armada was wrecked upon her coast.

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At last the sea subsided, and we were able to get a better view of the armada of small boats in our wake.

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"You are the grandson of Admiral Sir Wingrave Seton who commanded a frigate at Trafalgar, and an ancestor of yours fought in the Armada."

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We saw Tilbury Fort and remembered the Spanish Armada, Gravesend, Woolwich, and Greenwich-- places which I had heard of even in my country.

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So closely had the nations raced along the path of research and invention, so secret and yet so parallel had been their plans and acquisitions, that it was within a few hours of the launching of the first fleet in Franconia that an Asiatic Armada beat its west-ward way across, high above the marvelling millions in the plain of the Ganges.

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In five minutes that mighty armada of the skies would be bent and worthless scrap, lying at the base of the shaft beyond the city's wall, and yellow hordes would be loosed from another gate to rush out upon the few survivors stumbling blindly down through the mass of wreckage; then the apts would come.

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Even as he emerged from the mouth of the passage to look across the foothills in the direction of Aaanthor, a Ptarth battle fleet was winging its majestic way slowly toward the twin cities of Helium, while from far distant Kaol raced another mighty armada to join forces with its ally.

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It was as much injured by its charges in fitting out an armament against the Spaniards, during the time of the Armada, as by the fines and confiscations levied on it by Elizabeth for harbouring of priests, obstinate recusancy, and popish misdoings.

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With that armada gay Be laughter loud, and jocund shout—

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"Would it be the Battle of Trafalgar or the Spanish Armada, Katharine?" her mother demanded.

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