Lexic.us

Definition of Armadillo

1. Noun. Burrowing chiefly nocturnal mammal with body covered with strong horny plates.

Definition of Armadillo

1. n. Any edentate animal if the family Dasypidæ, 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.

Definition of Armadillo

1. Noun. Any of a family of burrowing mammals covered with bony, jointed, protective plates. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Armadillo

1. [n -LOS]

Medical Definition of Armadillo

1. 1. Any edentate animal if the family Dasypidae, peculiar to America. Do called from being armed with a bony shell. 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. 2. A genus of small isopod Crustacea that can roll themselves into a ball. Origin: Sp. Armadillo, dim. Of armado armed, p. P. Of armar to arm. (04 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Armadillo

Literary usage of Armadillo

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Memoirs of the Connecticut Academy of Arts & Sciences by Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, Yale University (1911)
"Large vase with armadillo shoulder ornaments, from which the carapace motive is absent. ... Cup with single shoulder ornament representing the armadillo. ..."

2. Secrets in Stone: Yokes, Hachas and Palmas from Southern Mesoamerica by Edwin M. Shook, Elayne Marquis (1996)
"Naturalistic armadillo with carved and incised armor, in curled position with tail in mouth. SMA. H. 23.5 cm.; W. 21 cm.; T. 3 cm. Wt.-3 kg. ..."

3. Biological Bulletin by Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass.) (1915)
"Since the winter of, when I first secured and began the study of advanced polyembryonic fetuses of the nine-banded armadillo, I have been struck not only by ..."

4. Magazine of Natural History edited by John Claudius Loudon, Edward Charlesworth, John Denson (1837)
"—Ed. Robbery of an armadillo at the Zoological Gardens. — The attempt lately made by one of the visiters to purloin an armadillo from the collection of the ..."

Other Resources: