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

Organized by a consortium of professional bakers, the 5280 Pastry Co-Op, the Golden Croissant brought together a dozen local bakeries, who worked in the days beforehand to perfect their recipes, arriving on Wednesday with trays of croissants. —Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 6 Feb. 2026

How to Harden Off Plants To begin hardening off plants, move the seedling trays and pots outdoors to a sheltered section of your yard that receives dappled light. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026

Drawer dividers and storage trays are key for professional organizer Christina Morton DesAuguste to stay organized. —Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 5 Feb. 2026

In Wilson’s own home, a small, 1970s-era tray that used to belong to her grandmother sits on a side table. —Mary Grace Granados special Contributor, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026

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