array

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈɹeɪ/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English araien, arraien, borrowed from Anglo-Norman arayer, from Old French areer, to put in order,^[2][3][4] from Vulgar Latin *arredāre,^[3][2] from Latin ad-, to, and a Frankish *rēd-, ready,^[3][2] from Proto-Germanic *raidjan, to place in order, source also of Old English ġerǣde, ready (see ready).^[3][2] The noun is Anglo-French arai, Old French arei, arroi, from the verb.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

To prepare, make oneself ready: about 1320 in the OED;^[6] to arrange troops for battle, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The noun, order or arrangement, is from before 1338, in Mannyng's Chronicle.^[2][3] Troops drawn up in battle order, equipment, clothing and splendour are from the late 14th century,^[3] as are the verb senses to equip, put clothing on and adorn.^[3] In law, to array a panel of jurors is from 1591.^[6] An orderly assemblage, an impressive display, is from 1814.^[3][7] In mathematics, an arrangement of numbers in rows and columns is a later technical sense.^[8][7]

Timeline

• c. 1320 – to prepare.^[6]
• before 1338 – the noun, order.^[2]
• mid-14th century – to marshal troops.^[3]
• late 14th century – to dress.^[3]
• 1814 – an orderly assemblage.^[3]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. An impressive display or collection; a large number: an array of options.
2. An orderly arrangement, especially of troops for battle.
3. (poetic) Fine clothing.
4. (mathematics) An arrangement of numbers or symbols in rows and columns, as in a matrix.

Verb

1. To set out in order for display or use.
2. To dress in finery; to adorn.

Word family

• arrayer
• unarrayed

Related words

• disarray
• ready
• arrange
• raiment

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
8. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin