Word
array
Phoneticsar·ray
US/ɝˈeɪ/
UK/ɐɹˈeɪ/
Definitions
01an impressive group
n. a large and impressive collection of people or things.
n. an imposing or comprehensive collection of items or people, often arranged for display.
“The shop offers a wide array of organic vegetables and fruits.”
“The gallery featured a stunning array of contemporary sculptures, each positioned to catch the shifting afternoon light.”
Synonyms
02an orderly arrangement
n. a group of things placed in a specific order or pattern.
n. an orderly series or arrangement, often in rows or columns.
“The solar panels were placed in a neat array on the roof.”
“The military commander inspected the array of troops, ensuring each battalion was perfectly aligned for the ceremonial parade.”
Formal
Synonyms
03computing data structure
n. a way of storing a list of similar items in a computer program.
n. a data structure consisting of a collection of elements, each identified by at least one array index or key.
“The programmer used an array to store the names of all the users.”
“By using a multidimensional array, the software can efficiently process complex spatial coordinates in real-time.”
Technical
04legal jury panel
n. the group of people chosen to be a jury in a court case.
n. the whole body of jurors summoned to attend a court or the list of those impanelled.
“The lawyer challenged the array of jurors, claiming the selection was unfair.”
“The defense attorney moved to quash the array, arguing that the jury pool did not represent a fair cross-section of the community.”
Formal · Technical
05to arrange or deploy
v. to place things or people in a specific order, especially for a battle or a display.
v. to set in order or to marshal forces; often used in passive constructions regarding military or political positioning.
“The general arrayed his tanks along the border as a show of strength.”
“The various political factions were arrayed against the new tax proposal, forming an unlikely alliance to block the legislation.”
Formal
Antonyms
06to dress up
v. to dress someone in beautiful or expensive clothes.
v. to clothe or attire someone in fine or decorative garments.
“The queen was arrayed in jewels and silk for the coronation.”
“The bride was arrayed in a gown of antique lace, looking like a figure from a nineteenth-century portrait.”
Literary
Real-World Examples
“Radio interferometers are arrays of individual dishes that work together as a team, like one large telescope with lots of holes in it.” “It is roughly the size of a person, with a tough metal body and an array of sensors packed inside.” Etymology
From Middle English arrayen, from Anglo-Norman arraier (compare Old French arraier, areer (“to put in order”)), from Vulgar Latin arrēdō (“to put in order, arrange, array”), from rēdum (“preparation, order”), from Frankish raid or raidā (“preparation, order”) or Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌸𐍃 (garaiþs, “ready, prepared”), from Proto-Germanic raidaz, raidiz (“ready”). Compare Old English rād (“condition, stipulation”), Old High German antreitī (“order, rank”). Doublet of ready.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/array