armored personnel carrier: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Specialized/Technical)Technical/Military
Quick answer
What does “armored personnel carrier” mean?
A military vehicle designed to transport infantry troops while providing protection from small arms fire and artillery shrapnel.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A military vehicle designed to transport infantry troops while providing protection from small arms fire and artillery shrapnel.
A tracked or wheeled vehicle with light armor, primarily for battlefield troop transport, often equipped with a mounted machine gun but not designed as a main battle tank.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English spells 'armoured', American English spells 'armored'. The abbreviation 'APC' is common in both.
Connotations
Neutral technical term in both varieties. Carries associations of modern military logistics, mechanized infantry, and combined arms warfare.
Frequency
Equally frequent in relevant military/defense contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “armored personnel carrier” in a Sentence
The [unit] deployed using armored personnel carriers.An armored personnel carrier [transported/ferried/moved] the [soldiers/infantry].The [model, e.g., M113] is a widely used armored personnel carrier.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “armored personnel carrier” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The infantry section will be armoured-personnel-carriered to the forward position.
American English
- The platoon was armored-personnel-carriered across the contested bridge.
adverb
British English
- The troops advanced armoured-personnel-carrier-supported through the valley.
American English
- The unit moved armored-personnel-carrier-fast along the road.
adjective
British English
- The armoured-personnel-carrier variant featured improved mine protection.
American English
- They studied armored-personnel-carrier tactics during the exercise.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in defense industry contexts discussing vehicle contracts and specifications.
Academic
Used in military history, political science (studies of conflict), and engineering texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside of specific news reports about warfare.
Technical
Standard term in military manuals, doctrine, engineering, and defense journalism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “armored personnel carrier”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “armored personnel carrier”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “armored personnel carrier”
- Misspelling 'personnel' as 'personal'. Confusing with 'Infantry Fighting Vehicle' (IFV). Using 'tank' synonymously.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A tank is a heavily armored, heavily armed vehicle designed for direct front-line combat. An APC is lightly armored and armed, designed primarily to transport infantry safely to the battlefield.
APC is the standard abbreviation for Armored Personnel Carrier.
No. An Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) is a more heavily armed evolution of the APC, designed not just to transport infantry but also to provide direct fire support in combat alongside them.
Yes, they are a fundamental component of modern mechanized and motorized infantry units, although many have been supplemented or replaced by more capable Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).
A military vehicle designed to transport infantry troops while providing protection from small arms fire and artillery shrapnel.
Armored personnel carrier is usually technical/military in register.
Armored personnel carrier: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɑː.məd ˌpɜː.səˈnel ˌkæ.ri.ər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɑːr.mɚd ˌpɝː.səˈnel ˌker.i.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Battle taxi (slang for an APC)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a metal box on tracks or wheels that carries personnel (soldiers) and is armored to protect them. APC = Armored Personnel Carrier.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MOBILE FORTRESS (emphasizing protection while in motion); a METAL UMBRELLA (providing cover from projectiles).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of an armored personnel carrier (APC)?