Zbrojony

Zbrojony is a Polish adjective meaning armed or armored. It refers to a person, group, or object that is equipped with weapons or protective gear. The term is formed from the noun broń (weapon) with the prefix z- and the participial suffix -ony. In contemporary Polish, uzbrojony is the more common term for “armed,” while zbrojony persists mainly in historical, literary, or formal contexts. It can appear in phrases such as zbrojny oddział (an armed unit) or zbrojone wyposażenie (armored or weaponized equipment), depending on the period and register.

Etymology and usage notes: zbrojony derives from broń with a prefix that signals inclusion or attainment and a participial ending that marks a qualitative attribute. The word often signals a broader sense of being equipped for combat, sometimes extending beyond firearms to include armor or other protective gear. In modern standard language, the nuance is commonly conveyed by uzbrojony, while zbrojony appears more in historical or stylistic contexts.

Grammatical notes: zbrojony agrees with the noun it modifies (for example, zbrojony człowiek, zbrojony oddział) and is typically used attributively before the noun in Polish word order.

See also: broń, uzbrojenie, opancerzenie, armia.

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