Sailor Speak of the Week – Armada

Definition

Noun

• A fleet of ships.

Origin

From the Latin word armator, meaning any armed force.

Comments

At the time, it meant all vessels with armament. Possibly the most famous armada in the Western world is the Spanish Armada in 1588.

References

Kemp, P. (1994). The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. Oxford University Press.

Rogers, J.G. (1985). Origins of Sea Terms. Mystic Seaport.