array

1 of 2

verb

ar·ray ə-ˈrā

arrayed; arraying; arrays

Synonyms of array next

transitive verb

: to dress or decorate especially in splendid or impressive attire : adorn

… he had already arrayed himself in his best clothes.—

Thomas Hardy

: to set or place in order : draw up, marshal

the forces arrayed against us

: to set or set forth in order (something, such as a jury) for the trial of a cause

: to arrange or display in or as if in an array

The … data are arrayed in descending order.—

Ed Burnett

arrayer noun

array

2 of 2

noun

: an imposing group : large number

faced a whole array of problems

also : variety, assortment

a broad array of styles

: a regular and imposing grouping or arrangement : order

lined up … in soldierly array—

Donald Barthelme

law : an orderly listing of jurors impaneled

: clothing, attire

: rich or beautiful apparel : finery

: a body of soldiers : militia

the baron and his feudal array

a(1)

: a number of mathematical elements arranged in rows and columns

(2)

: a data structure in which similar elements of data are arranged in a table

: a series of statistical data arranged in classes in order of magnitude

: a group of elements forming a complete unit

an antenna array

Example Sentences

Verb She arrayed herself in rich velvets and satins. a door arrayed for the holidays with a beautiful evergreen wreath Noun an array of solar panels an array of baseball gloves in the corner of his room

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

What makes this Slovenian castle so special is its astounding location – Predjama is arrayed across a cave mouth beneath a natural rock arch on the side of a sheer cliff. —

Joe Yogerst, CNN, 11 May 2023 The debate that has been raging about it since the ’90s, with clusters of protesters arraying themselves against the medical establishment, and the medical establishment digging in its heels, has turned the disease’s very identity into an issue of belief, a question of faith. —

Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 May 2023 The suites are arrayed in velvet, leather, and glossy mahogany paneling, with curvaceous lines and moody lighting. —

Lucy Alexander, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2023 There’s bloodlust in the air: The townspeople, arrayed around the police station like zombies, hunger for a decisive punishment but not necessarily the truth. —

Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Apr. 2023 The production is more vivid when the actors are interacting with the tangible objects of the prison cell, which is artfully arrayed by scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa. —

Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2023 Caroline Ouko hung up and hurried over to get him on March 3, but soon noticed about 12 police officers arrayed across her front yard in the Richmond suburbs with stun guns drawn. —

Salvador Rizzo, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023 Checking medications was actually easier when patients could collect all their bottles and array them on the kitchen counter. —

Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Mar. 2023 Around Lobo’s grave Rondon arrayed his gifts, to signal to the Indigenous group—likely members of the people known as the Cinta Larga, whose relations with the outside world continue to be tense and even violent into the 21st century—that his intentions remained peaceful. —

Larry Rohter, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2023

Noun

Healey aides told the Globe her administration intends to allocate up to $350 million more from money the state is authorized to borrow for an array of infrastructure and transportation projects. —

Matt Stout, BostonGlobe.com, 17 May 2023 Most are there for the wide array of cannabis products and accessories, but in one corner of the shop, near the jars of pungent green marijuana buds, a larger glass jar is filled to the brim with stubby mushrooms, which have brown caps and psilocybin’s characteristic bluish tint. —

Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2023 The expansive array of booze in the backbar was just bottles filled with colored water or tea, because Mac had no intention of going broke. —

Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 May 2023 Feringhee Modern Indian Cuisine $44/person 3 courses Takeout and dine-in This newcomer to Arizona Restaurant Week offers an array of options for all three courses. —

Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 16 May 2023 One of the world’s 20 largest economies, Turkey has an array of political and economic ties that span Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East, and its domestic and foreign policies could shift profoundly depending on who wins. —

Gulsin Harman, New York Times, 14 May 2023 The applicants represented a broad array of news organizations across the country. —

Talia Buford, ProPublica, 5 May 2023 An open congressional seat typically attracts an array of candidates looking to become one of 435 members of the House of Representatives. —

Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas News, 5 May 2023 As in June, UK retailers have come up with a vast array of mementos to mark Britain’s first coronation in 70 years — from commemorative biscuit tins, teddy bears and tote bags to candles, cushions and teacups. —

Hanna Ziady, CNN, 3 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'array.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English arayen, arrayen "to put in order, prepare, marshal (troops), equip, adorn," borrowed from Anglo-French arraier, arreyer, aroier "to arrange, order, marshal, set in order (a jury, assize), equip, attire, adorn" (continental Old French areer), going back to Vulgar Latin *arrēdāre, from Latin ad- ad- + Vulgar Latin *-rēdāre, in *conrēdāre, presumed adaptation of Gothic garedan "to make provision for" — more at curry entry 1

Note: The forms arrai-, aroi- presumably represent generalizations of the tonic stem of areer. The verb *arrēdāre is common to most Romance languages: Old Occitan arezar "to put in order," Catalan arrear "to provide," Spanish, "to adorn, decorate," Italian arredare "to furnish, equip."

Noun

Middle English aray, array, arraye "preparation, arrangement, condition, line of soldiers, equipment, adornment," borrowed from Anglo-French arrai, arraie "order, arrangement, condition, ordered list of jurors, body of men, entourage, equipment," noun derivative of arraier "to order, array entry 1"

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler

The first known use of array was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century