armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

1

: the hollow beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder

2

: the least desirable place : pit

77th Street Station … was the armpit of detective duty

—Joseph Wambaugh

Examples of armpit in a Sentence

a city described as the armpit of America

Recent Examples on the Web

The condition, which is not contagious, usually appears in warm, wet parts of the body, such as armpits, under the breast, buttocks and even between butt cheeks. —Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025

Prevention The bacteria under your arms create body odor by breaking down the secretions from your apocrine glands, so try changing your hygiene practices and keeping your armpits as dry as possible. —Heidi Cope, Health, 23 Dec. 2024

To do so, Degree turned armpits across Instagram into e-commerce stores. —Beth Ann Kaminkow, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

Check out the experts’ (and our team’s) favorite products for minimizing dark armpits, below: Frequently Asked Questions What causes underarm discoloration? —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

: the hollow beneath the spot where the arm and shoulder join

Medical Definition

armpit

noun

arm·​pit ˈärm-ˌpit 

: the hollow beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder : axilla