armadillos

1 definition found

armadillos - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Armadillo \Ar`ma*dil"lo\ ([aum]r`m[.a]*d[i^]l"l[-o]), n.; pl.
     Armadillos (-l[=o]z). [Sp. armadillo, dim. of armado armed,
     p. p. of armar to arm. So called from being armed with a bony
     shell.] (Zool.)
        (a) Any edentate animal if the family Dasypid[ae],
            peculiar to America. The body and head are incased in
            an armor composed of small bony plates. The armadillos
            burrow in the earth, seldom going abroad except at
            night. When attacked, they curl up into a ball,
            presenting the armor on all sides. Their flesh is good
            food. There are several species, one of which (the
            peba) is found as far north as Texas. See Peba,
            Poyou, Tatouay.
        (b) A genus of small isopod Crustacea that can roll
            themselves into a ball.
            [1913 Webster]