army

Etymology

From (1386) Middle English armee, borrowed from Old French armee (cf. modern French armée), from Medieval Latin armāta (“armed force”), a noun taken from the past participle of Latin armāre (“to arm”), itself related to arma (“tools, arms”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to join, fit together”). Doublet of armada. Displaced native Old English here and fierd.

noun

1. A large, highly organized military force, concerned mainly with ground (rather than air or naval) operations.
   1. Used absolutely for that entire branch of the armed forces.
      The army received a bigger share of this year's budget increase than the navy or air force.
   2. (often capitalized) Within a vast military, a very large tactical contingent (e.g. a number of divisions).
      The Fourth Army suffered such losses that its remainders were merged into the Second Army, also deployed on the Western front.
2. The governmental agency in charge of a state's army.
   The army opposed the legislature's involvement.
3. (figurative) A large group of people working toward the same purpose.
   It took an army of accountants to uncover the fraud.
   On sunny days the beaches draw armies of tourists of all kinds.
   Mr. Tenev, 33, is now in the hot seat again after Robinhood abruptly curtailed its customers’ trading last week amid a frenzy in stocks such as GameStop, which were driven sky high by an army of online investors. 2021-02-02, Nathaniel Popper, Kellen Browning, Erin Griffith, “Robinhood’s C.E.O. Is in the Hot Seat”, in The New York Times, →ISSN
4. (figurative) A large group of social animals working toward the same purpose.
   Our house is being attacked by an army of ants.
5. (figurative) Any multitude.
   There was an army of construction cranes working on building the skyscraper.
6. The military as a whole.
   The People's Liberation Army Navy of China.
   The Yugoslav Army consisted of the Navy, Ground Forces, and Air Force.
   Iran's army consists of the Navy, Ground Forces, and Air Force.