The hollow spaces under the upper arm where it joins the shoulder and torso. Plural of 'armpit.'
A compound word combining 'arm' (from Old English 'earm') and 'pit' (from Old English 'pytt' meaning 'hole'). The term has been used since at least the 1600s, though the concept of a body cavity has existed in anatomical language much longer. 'Pit' is a common suffix for body cavities, as in 'hip pit' (though less common now).
Your armpits are basically your body's security system—they produce unique odors fingerprinted to your DNA, and dogs can identify you from scent alone even after you've showered. This is why bloodhounds can track fugitives and why your scent on clothing can be used for identification, making armpits surprisingly important to forensic science!
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