tray

noun

ˈtrā 

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

trayful

ˈtrā-ˌfu̇l 

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

Other snaps showed Williams' daughter, Adira, who sat in a TSA tray in the airport. —Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025

Allen Gray nudged his walker a few inches forward, edging closer to a stack of blue plastic trays and his first meal of the day. —Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Nov. 2025

Each garden partner is provided a tray with a plastic pot, soil, three seasonal plants and a plastic saucer. —The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Nov. 2025

With loose items scattered across their desk, this catch-all tray is a stylish way to reduce the clutter. —Jamie Fischer, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2025

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

Phrases Containing tray

• baking 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