tray

noun

Synonyms of traynext
: an open receptacle with a flat bottom and a low rim for holding, carrying, or exhibiting articles
trayful noun

Examples of tray in a Sentence

She carried the tray of food to our table. a car with several storage trays
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At the same time, other robots handled basic tasks like delivering food and clearing trays. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026 Framingham Baking Company, known for its signature pizza trays, has officially shut down permanently. Matt Schooley, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 Its drip tray is also removable to accommodate tall travel mugs. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026 But future business concerns were parked on Wednesday night as attentions turned to near-endless trays of champagne, cocktails and canapés. Alex Ritman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tray

Word History

Etymology

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

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tray was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Tray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tray. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

tray

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

Medical Definition

tray

noun
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on tray

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster