arms

Arms is a plural term with two principal senses. In common usage, it denotes weapons used for attack, defense, or hunting, including firearms, edged weapons, and other combat implements. In heraldry, arms refers to a coat of arms, the symbolic insignia representing a family, organization, or territory. The context usually makes the intended meaning clear.

The word derives from Latin arma meaning tools or implements, passed into Old French as armes. The distinction between arms and armor reflects historical shifts in warfare and protection, with armor referring to protective gear and arms to the weapons used in conflict. In modern usage, the term emphasizes portable weapons and military systems rather than static defense.

Historically, arms evolved from melee weapons such as swords and spears to gunpowder firearms and artillery, transforming combat, technology, and society. In the contemporary era, arms encompass small arms (handguns, rifles, shotguns), crew-served weapons, artillery, missiles, and integrated platforms such as drones and cyber capabilities. The arms landscape also includes support equipment, ammunition, and logistics essential to deployment.

Regulation of arms occurs at national and international levels. International regimes address nonproliferation, export controls, and disarmament, while domestic laws govern possession, manufacture, sale, and transfer. Notable instruments include the Arms Trade Treaty and various conventions restricting specific weapon classes, alongside national controls on licensing, tracing, and enforcement.

Arms have shaped geopolitics through dynamics such as arms races and defense industrialization, influencing diplomacy and security policies. Culturally, the term also appears in heraldry, where coats of arms symbolize lineage, authority, and identity. The dual usage underlines the broad historical significance of arms in human affairs.