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Armour vs Armor? When Should You Use Each Word?

Armour vs Armor? When Should You Use Each Word?

If you’re a fan of war movies or drama series such as Game of Thrones, you would have probably noticed the attire knights wore in battles. You are also likely to know what those shiny metal uniforms are called. But do you know how to spell the name correctly?

The words “armour” and “armor” mean the same thing. They denote the metal-clad suits knights wore on battlefields. The term “armor” is the Americanized version of “armour”, the British equivalent. If your texts are in U.S. English, use “armor”. Go with “armour” if you’re writing in British.

The word “armor” has more depth to it than just how you use it in texts. If you’d like to know more about the term’s meaning, how it’s used in sentences, and a host of other information relating to it, keep reading.

amour word on keyboard

Armour/Armor – Definition

The noun “armor” can be defined as unique clothing that knights or people belonging to certain professions wear to safeguard their physical selves from weapons or external threats. To serve its purpose well, “armor” is usually a hard covering. Some synonyms for “armor” can be “defense”, “guard”, “safeguard”, “protection”, “shield”, etc.

As a noun, “armour” denotes the shielding suits knights dress in during wars or battles. As a verb, the word means “the act of wearing or putting on a protective suit”. Armor is also used on fighting vehicles, such as warships, or the word could be used to denote modern warfare tanks.

As a noun, the word “armor” need not only denote war suits or outfits worn during combats. The uniform or work-specific clothes cyclists, construction site workers, etc., wear is also a form of armor since those outfits too intend to protect the individual from externalities.

Word Origin

The word “armor” first appeared during the Middle Ages, derived from the Old French term “armure”. The Old French word itself took inspiration from “armature”, a Latin term that meant “arms and/or equipment”“. The root term “armare” meant “arms or gear”. Documented to be first used during the 1290s, the word meant “defensive covering worn during combat”.

Armour/Armor – English Dialect

The terms “armour” and “armor” mean the same thing. “Armour”, like you would have probably guessed, is the U.K. spelling for the word, and “armor” is the U.S. version. Kindly note, the American term hasn’t been around for as long as “armour” has been in circulation since U.K. English happened much before America was even a nation.

American writers have been using the term “armor” since the 17th century when U.S. English was born. Before that, they used “armour” like all English writers. Unlike the Americans, however, the British did not adopt “armor” (quite understandably).

All British publications, such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, The Telegraph, Daily Mail Online, etc., use “armour”. American new sites such as CNN, USA Today, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, etc., invariably use “armor” in their texts.

Armor Suit – Materials and “Chainmail”

Armor can be made from a range of materials. Though metal is commonly identified with armor suits, the suits were initially made using fabric and leather. The manufacturing process later evolved to incorporate metal plates and “chainmail”.

What is chainmail? Chainmail is a kind of armor that consists of little metal rings linked with each other to create a mesh-forming pattern. Also referred to as just “mail”, chainmail first appeared on battlefields sometime after 300 B.C.

The Celts are credited with having invented chainmail; the Romans adopted the design and gave it their unique twist. Over a period, small extra plates or iron discs were appended to the outfit to safeguard vulnerable parts of the wearer’s body.

Do Armor Suits Cover the Entire Body?

medieval armor with sword and shield

Generally, an armor suit or clothing does not always cover the entire body; at times, it’s just a helmet and a couple of leg plates. Some kind of a big shield usually protected the remainder of the knight’s body.

Splinted construction and hardened leather were used for leg and arm pieces. An armor constructed out of big plates sewn within a leather or textile coat, called “coat of plates”, was then developed to offer increased protection.

Chainmail helps safeguard certain joints or areas that couldn’t be adequately guarded by plate – for example, the groin’s crook and the armpit.

Use of Sub-Standard or Not Completely Protective Armor Suits

Not all troops or soldiers were consigned the best-quality suits or armor that offered complete protection. Based on the battle’s budget and requirements or nature, troop commanders chose a full suit or armor that provided necessary protection for their soldiers. At times, the sheer callousness of the commanders also ascertained the kind of armor soldiers got to wear.

During the American Civil War, for instance, soldiers were afforded steel and iron vests from peddlers. The vests’ effectiveness was expectedly not uniform or all over the place – with some successfully deflecting bullets and saving lives but others causing deaths or severe injuries to the soldiers due to their poor construction.

And in many cases, soldiers removed their vests, not just because those were barely effective but also because they were quite heavy. The trade-off between weight and protection was not in favor of the soldiers.

The armor that the French Cuirassiers soldiers wore during World War I was covered with dark paint, and their elaborate helmets were covered with a canvas wrap. The armor was meant to guard the soldiers against just light lances and sabers.

The cavalry, therefore, had to steer clear of machine guns and high-velocity rifles. However, the foot soldiers were in a much better position to safeguard themselves as they at least had a trench.

Modern Safety Suits/Gear

Today, flak jackets or ballistic vests – made of metal or ceramic plates and ballistic cloth – are common among security staff, police forces, corrections officers, military, etc. The U.S. Army uses Interceptor Body Armor that employs ESAPIs (protective inserts) in the armor’s sides, back and chest.

Using the Words “Armour” or “Armor” in Texts

As the words “armour” and “armor” have identical meanings, they can be used in the same contexts. Also, as mentioned above, the words “armour” and “armor” can be used in writings as verbs and nouns.

But the words cannot be used interchangeably in the same passage or piece. If your copy is intended for a British audience, use “armour” in your writings. Use “armor” if your readers are predominantly American or outside of the U.K.

If you are based out of the U.K. and your focus is on no specific geography, stick to using “armor” in your texts as U.S. English is more commonly used outside the U.S. than the British variant of the language. Having said that, “armour” is also preferred by many writers not based in the U.K.

When to Use “Armour” or “Armor” in Your Sentences

If your copy is intended for the global audience and you still use “armour” instead of “armor”, you’ll not be mistaken, or your message will still get across. But usage of “armour” in a piece that’s otherwise completely written in U.S. English is incorrect grammar, and people who know better (likely to be the minority) will judge your command over the language as a result.

They’ll either point that out in the comments section of your article or may simply not revisit your website, as that minor spelling discrepancy could have prompted them to reassess their thoughts about your subject knowledge, research skills, and general proficiency.

Knowing how and when to use the two terms exhibits your strength as a writer, as far as grammar is concerned. This article, for instance, uses “armor” primarily since it’s intended to cater to English speakers the world over.

Example Sentences with the Word “Armor”

amour chest piece details

The following is a non-exhaustive list of sentences using the word “armor”. Kindly note, most of the sentences revolve around war and military due to the nature of the term “armor”.

  • You should adequately armor yourself in the battle against the bad.
  • The exoskeleton of an insect serves as armor, protecting the soft insides.
  • She has been accused of researching guns, ballistic armor, and homemade bombs.
  • He didn’t have much fashion sense and used his clothes as some form of armor or camouflage.
  • The animal’s bones, horn, armor, and skin tissue were all well-preserved in stone.
  • The shot that was fired couldn’t penetrate the armor.
  • The officers are expected to put on bulletproof body armor.
  • The shots pierced through the tank’s armor.
  • I like the incredible attention to detail in the weapons and armor.
  • Contrary to the assumptions, the bra doesn’t secure the breastplate armor.
  • The armor was borne by the small boy.
  • To ensure the armor gains more solidity, the plates’ horizontal sections were merged by the thick silk rods’ vertical rows.
  • Kendo practitioners wear complete armor.
  • That thin sleeveless shirt without plates and chains is anything but a piece of armor.
  • They listed a complete assortment of goods, including weapons, armor, jewelry, clothing, and some home décor stuff.
  • That site sells some unique medieval décor pieces and splendid armor shields.

If you use U.K. English, replace “armor” with “armour” in the sentences above.

Conclusion

The words “armour” and “armor” mean the same thing. Therefore, getting confused between the two words or using a particular term in the wrong context is an error never happening. However, you could end up using “armour” in your U.S. English texts or “armor” in your manuscripts written in British English. This pretty much is the only aspect you need to be wary of when dealing with the two terms.