tray

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈtrā 

: an open receptacle with a flat bottom and a low rim for holding, carrying, or exhibiting articles

trayful

ˈtrā-ˌfu̇l 

noun

trayful

2 of 2

noun (2)

tray·​ful ˈtrāˌfu̇l 

plural -s

: as much as a tray will hold

Examples of tray in a Sentence

Noun (1)

She carried the tray of food to our table.

a car with several storage trays

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Often, Shawn would stand in the doorway of his bedroom and watch the stranger eat off a tray balanced on his lap, arranging each mouthful of food on his spoon with great deliberation before bringing it to his mouth. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

Known for its affordable food trays and 40-plus milkshake flavors, Cook Out was a popular pick in South Carolina and Tennessee too, poll results showed. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026

Nothing—not a human, not a cheese tray—was meeting its potential. — Danielle Pergament, Allure, 29 Sep. 2026

Once you’re done, the tray tucks into the seatback seamlessly. — Tyler Hayes, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English trīg, trēg; akin to Old Swedish trø wooden grain measure and probably to Old English trēow tree — more at tree entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tray

• baking tray
• ice cube tray
• in tray
• litter tray
• out tray
• tea tray

Rhymes for tray

• ay
• bay
• bey
• brae
• cay
• chez
• dey
• dray
• fay
• fey
• flay
• fray

Kids Definition

tray

noun

ˈtrā 

: an open container with flat bottom and low rim for holding, carrying, or exhibiting articles

trayful

-ˌfu̇l 

noun

Medical Definition

tray

noun

ˈtrā 

: an appliance consisting of a flanged body and a handle for use in holding plastic material against the gums or teeth in making negative impressions for dentures