Armerie

Armerie is a term used to designate a storage facility or workshop for weapons and related equipment. In English, the standard term is armory or arsenal; armerie appears mainly as a loanword or in historical or regional usage. In French, the equivalent is armurerie, while armerie may occur in older spellings or translations. The word ultimately derives from Latin armarium, meaning a place for arms.

Historically, armerie-like facilities emerged in the Middle Ages as rulers and cities centralized weapon stockpiles to equip and supply military forces. They evolved into national arsenals that governed procurement, storage, maintenance, and distribution of arms and ammunition. A typical armerie housed small arms, artillery, ammunition, and related equipment; in earlier periods it might also store armor and tools for repairs. Staff could include armourers, quartermasters, and maintenance personnel, with security and controlled access as essential features.

In modern contexts, armed forces and police services maintain armories as part of defense and law enforcement logistics. Contemporary armeries emphasize inventory management, security against theft or sabotage, and safety protocols for handling weapons and munitions. The term armerie is more commonly encountered in historical, linguistic, or regional texts, whereas armory or armurerie is preferred in contemporary usage.

See also: armory, arsenal, ordnance depot, armorer. Etymologically, armerie shares roots with terms for arms and armament, reflecting its role as a centralized repository and workshop for weaponry.