Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Armored cruiser \Ar"mored cruis"er\ (Nav.)
   A man-of-war carrying a large coal supply, and more or less
   protected from the enemy's shot by iron or steel armor. There
   is no distinct and accepted classification distinguishing
   armored and protected cruisers from each other, except that
   the first have more or heavier armor than the second.