Ironclads

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of warship characterized by its iron armor plating, designed for naval combat during the 19th century
2. Ships equipped with iron-covered hulls that provided superior protection against artillery
3. Vessels recognized for their heavy armor and capability to engage in battles with enhanced durability and firepower

Etymology: The word is the plural of "ironclad," which is simply a compound of "iron" and "clad," the past participle of the Old English verb "clǣþan," meaning "to clothe." So an ironclad is something clothed in iron, and the ships were named for their armoured hulls: iron plating over the wooden sides that let them shrug off cannon fire that would have holed an ordinary warship. Both parts of the word are old. "Iron" descends from Proto-Germanic "īsarnąn" and reaches back to a very ancient Indo-European root, while "clad" comes from the same family as "clothe," so the word joins two plain Germanic elements rather than borrowing anything from abroad. The compound was formed in English, and its meaning is transparent: an iron covering, applied to something that needed protecting.