Also called Invincible Armada, Spanish Armada. the fleet sent against England by Philip II of Spain in 1588. It was defeated by the English navy and later dispersed and wrecked by storms.
2.
(lowercase) any fleet of warships.
3.
(lowercase) a large group or force of vehicles, airplanes, etc.:
an armada of transport trucks.
Origin
1525-35; < Spanish < Latinarmāta armed forces, neuter plural of armātus (past participle of armāre to equip with arms). See arm2, -ate1
British Dictionary definitions for Armada
armada
/ɑːˈmɑːdə/
noun
1.
a large number of ships or aircraft
Word Origin
C16: from Spanish, from Medieval Latin armāta fleet, armed forces, from Latin armāre to provide with arms
"fleet of warships," 1530s (erroneously, as armado), from Spanish armada "an armed force," from Medieval Latin armata (see army). Especially of the "Invincible Armada" of Philip II of Spain (1588). Current form of the word is from 1590s.