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Armadillo - 5 dictionary results
ar⋅ma⋅dil⋅lo
[ahr-muh-dil-oh] 
məˈdɪl-oʊ
–noun, plural -los.
| any of several burrowing, chiefly nocturnal mammals constituting the family Dasypodidae, ranging from the southern U.S. through South America, having strong claws and a jointed protective covering of bony plates: used in certain areas for food. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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| ar·ma·dil·lo
(är'mə-dĭl'ō) Pronunciation Key
n. pl. ar·ma·dil·los Any of several omnivorous, burrowing, edentate mammals (family Dasypodidae), native to southern North America and South America and characterized by an armorlike covering consisting of jointed bony plates. [Spanish, diminutive of armado, armored, past participle of armar, to arm, from Latin armāre, from arma, arms; see ar- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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armadillo
1577, from Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado "armored," from L. armatus, pp. of armare "to arm" (see arm (2)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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| armadillo | |
noun | |
| burrowing chiefly nocturnal mammal with body covered with strong horny plates |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Armadillo
Ar`ma*dil"lo\ ([aum]r`m[.a]*d[i^]l"l[-o]), n.; pl. Armadillos (-l[=o]z). [Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado armed, p. p. of armar to arm. So called from being armed with a bony shell.] (Zo["o]l.) (a) Any edentate animal if the family Dasypid[ae], 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.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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