myriad

noun myr·i·ad \ ˈmir-ē-əd \

|Updated on: 9 Jul 2018

Usage guide: Is myriad a noun?

Examples: myriad in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of myriad

1 : ten thousand

2 : a great number

a myriad of ideas

See myriad defined for English-language learners

See myriad defined for kids

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Is myriad a noun?

Recent criticism of the use of myriad as a noun, both in the plural form myriads and in the phrase a myriad of, seems to reflect a mistaken belief that the word was originally and is still properly only an adjective. As the entries here show, however, the noun is in fact the older form, dating to the 16th century. The noun myriad has appeared in the works of such writers as Milton (plural myriads) and Thoreau (a myriad of), and it continues to occur frequently in reputable English. There is no reason to avoid it.

Examples of myriad in a Sentence

Mr. McCullough hails Adams for being uncannily prescient … foreseeing a myriad of developments, from the difficulty of defeating the British … to the divisive consequences of slavery. —Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 22 May 2001
Sectarian Protestantism reinforced both American individualism and the tendency of the society to be self-organizing in a myriad of voluntary associations and communities. —Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999
Out in the barrios, under the nipa palms, he listened to the myriads of humming cicadas and the call of the geckos. —Nina FitzPatrick, Fables of the Irish Intelligentsia, 1991
To read Marie Corelli, you had to be able to follow several hundred printed words at a time, and there were myriads in England who were up to it. —Hugh Kenner, A Sinking Island, 1987
… laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the myriads of tiny colored dots that make up darkness. —John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952
There are a myriad of possibilities.
the car can be outfitted with a myriad of options

Recent Examples of myriad from the Web

But with a myriad of choices out there, ranging in shades, textures and coverage, how then to navigate the best of the best?

— jenna rennert, Vogue, "The Best Concealers of All Time, According to the Pros," 30 June 2018
But a myriad of contributors have sent checks of various amounts over the years, Arrowood said, including bequeaths from wills.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Walleyes For Tomorrow establishes fisheries research fellowship at UW-Stevens Point," 30 June 2018
In all likelihood, the Suns front office has probably discussed Young among their myriad of options for their four picks in Thursday's draft.

— azcentral, "Former Cardinals safety Tony Jefferson claims to 'have the formula for the Suns' success'," 21 June 2018
Despite what the zealots say, there’s lots of data suggesting humans can survive — and even thrive — on myriad eating patterns.

— julia belluz, Vox, "This Mediterranean diet study was hugely impactful. The science just fell apart.," 20 June 2018
Hear from Padres manager Andy Green on a myriad of topics, including Joey Lucchesi's return to the mound, the health of the players on the disabled list, how the rotation will shake up and more.

— kevin acee, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Padres lose Franchy Cordero for extended period," 19 June 2018
The process only gets more frustrating with the myriad of different serums and creams on the market that claim to do the job but inevitably fall short.

— tanisha pina, Glamour, "8 Women of Color on Their Go-To Products for Hyperpigmentation," 1 May 2018
In exchange for its myriad (alleged) efforts to benefit the mogul’s candidacy, the Kremlin has received remarkably little in return.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump: Putin Can Help Solve America’s Problem With ‘Ukraine’," 21 Mar. 2018
Both teams set a myriad of individual and team records.

— james weber, Cincinnati.com, "Covington Catholic athletic director reflects on historic year of 2 state titles,," 19 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'myriad.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In English, the "ten thousand" sense of myriad mostly appears in references to Ancient Greece, such as the following from English historian Connop Thirwall's History of Greece: "4000 men from Peloponnesus had fought at Thermopylae with 300 myriads." More often, English speakers use myriad in the broad sense—both as a singular noun ("a myriad of tiny particles") and a plural noun ("myriads of tiny particles"). Myriad can also serve as an adjective meaning "innumerable" ("myriad particles"). While some usage commentators criticize the noun use, it's been firmly established in English since the 16th century, and in fact is about 200 years older than the adjective. Myriad comes from Greek myrias, which in turn comes from myrioi, meaning "countless" or "ten thousand."

Origin and Etymology of myriad

Greek myriad-, myrias, from myrioi countless, ten thousand

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1555

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

myriad Synonyms

Phrases

all kinds (of), quite a bit;

Other Number-Related Terms

jubilee, quarantine, score, twain

myriad

adjective myr·i·ad \ ˈmir-ē-əd \

Definition of myriad

1 : innumerable

those myriad problems

; also : both numerous and diverse

myriad topics

2 : having innumerable aspects or elements

the myriad activity of the new land
—Meridel Le Sueur

See myriad defined for English-language learners

Examples of myriad in a Sentence

… the more quotations that could be found, the more easily the subtle differences between the (possibly) myriad usages and meanings of any single word could be identified. This is how historical dictionaries are made … —Simon Winchester, The Meaning of Everything, 2003
The age of white guilt, with its myriad corruptions and its almost racist blindness to minority individuality, may someday go down like the age of racism went down … —Shelby Steele, Harper's, November 2002
World War II accelerated the progress of science and technology into the microcosm. Scientists and technologists played tag with one another in their search for microscopic control. With mathematics and myriad theories, they defined a new microcosm. —Joseph A. Amato, Dust, 2000
The old system's problems were myriad.
the myriad problems that today's cities face

Recent Examples of myriad from the Web

Even before the invention of the electric light bulb, the author produced a remarkable work of speculative fiction that would foreshadow myriad ethical questions to be spawned by technologies yet to come.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "AI can have values if not a conscience," 2 July 2018
Eastern Market is now covered in myriad murals that work as individual pieces but also collectively as a larger artistic symphony of color.

— ryan patrick hooper, Detroit Free Press, "Murals in the Market will move beyond just murals at 2018 festival," 29 June 2018
The myriad changes at Monticello, including Barnes’ forthcoming leadership, the Hemings exhibition, and a more inclusive narrative of the plantation, come at a critical time in the country.

— samantha willis, Glamour, "Thomas Jefferson Owned Hundreds of Slaves. Now, a Black Woman Will Run His Foundation.," 29 June 2018
Charles McQuillan—Getty Images What the Future Looks Like Irrespective of political views, a hard Brexit will affect daily life in Northern Ireland in myriad ways.

— amanda sloat, Time, "Brexit Could Jeopardize Peace in Northern Ireland—and America Is Ignoring It," 29 June 2018
The repercussions of that company’s demise are still being felt; its myriad subcontractors are thought to be £2bn ($2.6bn) out of pocket.

— The Economist, "Britain’s outsourcing model, copied around the world, is in trouble," 28 June 2018
June’s story, which drove the first season forward in myriad fascinating ways, has reached a bit of a narrative cul de sac, just as everybody else on the series has found new interesting dimensions.

— todd vanderwerff, Vox, "The Handmaid’s Tale gives Elisabeth Moss a dynamite showcase in “Holly”," 27 June 2018
Every athlete is different in myriad ways, from their their sport to their shape to their story—though too often, society relegates them to an incredibly narrow box, physically and otherwise.

— nora whelan, SELF, "Everyday Athletes Talk About What Strength Means to Them," 26 June 2018
After myriad tests and no sign of subcutaneous insects, his doctors seemed to have given up.

— National Geographic, "Think Your Body Is Infested With Insects? You're Not Alone.," 22 June 2018