armate

Armate is an Italian term with primarily linguistic usage. It is the feminine plural form of the adjective armato, meaning armed or armored. It is used to describe weapons, ships, or forces that are equipped or ready for combat. Common phrases include le forze armate (the armed forces) and navi armate (armed ships). As a noun, armata or its plural armate can denote an armed force or fleet, particularly in historical or formal Italian texts; in modern usage the expression forze armate is standard for a country’s military.

Etymology and related terms: Armate derives from the Latin armatus, which comes from arma—meaning weapons. Related terms include armamento (armament) and armatura (armor or fittings). The word appears in historical contexts to describe organized military units, fleets, or campaigns, and it also functions in everyday language to indicate that something is equipped or prepared for combat.

Usage notes: Armate is most common in Italian in military, historical, or heraldic contexts. In contemporary prose, the phrase le forze armate is the standard way to refer to a nation’s military, while armata or armate as nouns tend to appear in more formal or classical texts.

See also: Forze Armate; Armamento; Armatura.