panoply

noun

pan·​o·​ply ˈpa-nə-plē How to pronounce panoply (audio)
plural panoplies
1
a
: a full suit of armor
Knights in panoply were ready for battle.
b
: ceremonial attire
The nobles were in panoply for the coronation.
2
: something forming a protective covering
faces dim in a panoply of smokeWilliam Baucke
3
a
: a magnificent or impressive array
the full panoply of a military funeral
woods … in their full panoply of autumn foliageS. P. B. Mais
b
: a display of all appropriate appurtenances
no need for the panoply of power
windows … beyond which the usual panoply of modern mechanical conveniences can brazenly flourishLewis Mumford

Did you know?

Panoply comes from the Greek word panoplia, which referred to the full suit of armor worn by hoplites, heavily armed infantry soldiers of ancient Greece. Panoplia is a blend of the prefix pan-, meaning "all," and hopla, meaning "arms" or "armor." (As you may have guessed already, hopla is also an ancestor of hoplite.) Panoply entered the English language in the 17th century, and since then it has developed other senses which extend both the "armor" and the "full set" aspects of its original use.

Examples of panoply in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Though the panoply of accents the actors choose could easily fill out a Midwestern grocery store checkout line, there's not a performance here that isn't admirable for its sheer chutzpah. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2023 With Snarky Puppy’s infectious goodwill and the panoply of talent that surrounds you at every turn, the GroundUP experience will set you among a tribe of true believers in music as one of the strongest forces connecting us to one another and to what’s good in the world. Helena Alonso Paisley, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2024 But Hot is an old-fashioned, big-hearted tap musical with a hilarious contemporary script from Amber Ruffin and Matthew Lopez and a panoply of incredible performances that deserved more recognition. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 June 2023 As the generative AI industry continues to develop, the FTC will remain vigilant and ready to use the full panoply of its law enforcement and policy tools to foster fair competition, protect consumers, and help ensure that the public benefits from this transformative technology. Eric Reicin, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 Roku's flagship streaming stick product makes the jump into the UHD era with an easy-to-use dongle that ably delivers 4K content from a panoply of services. K. Thor Jensen, PCMAG, 31 Jan. 2024 Despite its panoply of outstanding performances, The Color Purple can’t weave together a tapestry as lush or impressive as any one of its actors' work. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2023 Roemer unleashes his lurching panoply of dramatic incidents in a rapid succession of scenes with no breathing room between them. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2023 The human cell has a panoply of mechanisms to destroy foreign DNA. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'panoply.' 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

Greek panoplia, from pan- + hopla arms, armor, plural of hoplon tool, weapon — more at hoplite

First Known Use

circa 1637, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of panoply was circa 1637

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Dictionary Entries Near panoply

Cite this Entry

“Panoply.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panoply. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

panoply

noun
pan·​o·​ply ˈpan-ə-plē How to pronounce panoply (audio)
plural panoplies
1
: a full suit of armor
2
: a protective covering
3
: a magnificent arrangement or display
panoplied
-plēd
adjective

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