army English · revision 3352

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1386 (Chaucer)|origins=la arma}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈɑː.mi/, US /ˈɑːr.mi/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|armee]], [[bor|fro|armée|t=armed troop, armed expedition]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) from [[la-med|armāta|t=armed force]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) from Latin armāta, the feminine of armātus, past participle of [[la|armāre|t=to arm]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) from [[m|la|arma|t=tools, weapons]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the source of [[arm]] in the sense “weapon”.^(Etymonline) Medieval Latin armāta also gave [[armada]].^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An armed expedition by sea or land: about 1386,^(OED 1989) or about 1387–95, in Chaucer's prologue to the ''Canterbury Tales''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was originally used of expeditions by sea or land,^(Etymonline) and an armed force in general is from about 1460.^(OED 1989) A naval force, a fleet, is from 1545 and is obsolete.^(OED 1989) “A host, multitude” is by about 1500,^(Etymonline) and a body of men armed and organized for war on land from 1557^(OED 1989) or the 1550s.^(Etymonline) The whole land forces of a state, ''the Army'', is from 1647,^(OED 1989) and the restriction to land forces by the late 18th century.^(Etymonline) The Old English words for an army were here, preserved in [[harry]] and [[harrier]], and fierd, related to faran “to travel”; in the ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' here generally meant the invading Vikings and fierd the local defence.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1386 – an armed expedition.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1460 – an armed force.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1500 – a host, multitude.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1545 – a fleet.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1557 – a land force.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1647 – the Army of a state.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large organized body of soldiers for war on land.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The land forces of a country as a whole.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A large military unit made up of two or more [[corps]].^(AHD)

+ # A large group of people or animals; a [[multitude]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # An organized group working for a cause: ''the Salvation Army''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[armyworm]]

+ * [[army ant]]

+ * [[army brat]]

+ * [[army cutworm]]

+ * [[Blue Army]]

+ * [[field army]]

+ * [[General of the Army]]

+ * [[Red Army]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arm]]

+ * [[armed]]

+ * [[armament]]

+ * [[armor]]

+ * [[armour]]

+ * [[armada]]

+ * [[armistice]]

+ * [[harry]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}