Armadillo
/ˌɑːr.məˈdɪl.oʊ/noun
A small to medium-sized armored mammal native to the Americas, known for its bony shell.
Did you know?Spanish armadillo comes from armadillo, a diminutive of armado, “armed/armored,” so the name is basically a medieval battle-title for a mammal.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
arma
“weapons, arms”
Late Latin
Latin
armare
“to arm, equip with weapons”
Old Spanish
Spanish
armado
“armed, armored”
16th Century
Spanish
armadillo
“little armored one”
16th Century
English
armadillo
“the armored mammal”