Dictionary

armada en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ɑː(ɹ)ˈmeɪdə/ (obsolete)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɑːˈmɑːdə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɑɹˈmɑdə/ (US)

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish armada (“fleet, navy”), from Medieval Latin armāta, from the feminine past participle of Latin armō, from arma. Doublet of army.

Meanings

1. A fleet of warships, especially with reference to the Spanish Armada.
2. Any large army or fleet of military vessels.
3. A large flock of anything.
   • An armada of insects attacked us every day at sunset.
4. (collective) A group of newts.
   • During some wet years you may be privy to viewing an armada of newts, as they are collectively called. 2024 January 29, Kathleen Scavone, “Discover Napa Valley's diverse wildlife on a winter walk”, in Napa Valley Focus, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2026:
   • That honour belongs to a hairy-footed flower bee, a breeding pair of geese, some dragonfly nymphs, a flock of grey wagtails, a prickle of hedgehogs, an armada of newts, a flutter of spring butterflies and a “very cheeky” fox. 2026 April 18, Donna Ferguson, “A prickle of hedgehogs and an armada of newts: wildlife settles in at London’s new Queen Elizabeth garden”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 28 Jul 2026:
   • We all got excited for a minute or two when the needle started wiggling forward on Six Boulders Trail, but when we came out onto the open ledge and saw an armada of star-eating newts basking in the sun, Audrey sighed, and Francis threw up his hands like those newts were tricksters who'd snatched away his riches. 2025, Caroline Carlson, The Tinkerers, Candlewick Press:

Forms

Translations (39)

el αρμάδα (a fleet of warships) · sv flotta (a fleet of warships) · de Armada (a fleet of warships) · ru арма́да (a fleet of warships) · sv stridsflotta (a fleet of warships) · es flota (a fleet of warships) · ja 艦隊 (a fleet of warships) · sv armé (large flock of anything) · el στόλος (a fleet of warships) · ga carn (large flock of anything) · ga cual (large flock of anything) · io navaro (a large army or fleet) · ru арма́да (large flock of anything) · ru арма́да (a large army or fleet) · ga slua (large flock of anything) · ga armáid (a fleet of warships) · fi armeija (large flock of anything) · ko 함대 (a fleet of warships) · fr armada (a fleet of warships) · ga arm (large flock of anything) · sv armada (a fleet of warships) · es armada (a fleet of warships) · el στόλος (a large army or fleet) · fi sotalaivasto (a fleet of warships) · ca armada (a fleet of warships) · pt armada (a fleet of warships) · ga púir (large flock of anything) · sv armé (a large army or fleet) · cmn 艦隊 /舰队 (a fleet of warships) · pt armada (a large army or fleet) · id armada (a fleet of warships) · io floto (a fleet of warships) · it armata (a fleet of warships) · ro armadă (a fleet of warships) · sv krigsflotta (a fleet of warships) · ga armáid (a large army or fleet) · ga plód (large flock of anything) · gl armada (a fleet of warships) · tl armada (a fleet of warships)