A large fleet of warships, especially the Spanish naval force that attempted to invade England in 1588. Any large group or formation of vehicles or vessels.
From Spanish 'armada' meaning 'armed force,' from Latin 'armata' (armed). The word became famous in English after the Spanish Armada of 1588, when it entered the language with specific naval connotations.
The Spanish Armada's defeat in 1588 was so culturally significant that 'armada' became permanently associated with naval power and ambition in English. The word carries echoes of that historical moment, when weather and English seamanship combined to change European history.
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