# myriad

/ˈmɪɹiəd/ (US) · /mˈɪɹɪˌæd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/myriad
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. a great number

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a very large or countless number of people or things.

For teachers: an indefinitely great number; a vast multitude.

- The city offers a myriad of activities for tourists during the summer months.
- The researcher was overwhelmed by the myriad of conflicting data points that emerged during the final phase of the clinical trial.

Usage: Often used in the construction 'a myriad of' followed by a plural noun.

Teaching tip: Traditionalists sometimes argue against 'a myriad of', preferring the adjective use, but both are standard in modern formal English.

### 2. innumerable

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary · Formal

extremely great in number; too many to count.

For teachers: constituting a very large, indefinite number; innumerable.

- We gazed up at the myriad stars shining in the clear night sky.
- The new policy faced myriad challenges from local community leaders who feared the economic impact on small businesses.

Usage: Placed directly before the noun it modifies.

### 3. ten thousand

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

the number ten thousand, especially in ancient Greek history.

For teachers: the number ten thousand; historically used in translations of Greek and Latin texts.

- The ancient army was divided into units of a myriad each.
- In classical Greek numeration, the myriad represented the largest named power of ten.

Usage: Rarely used in modern contexts except when discussing historical military or mathematical systems.

Teaching tip: This is the original meaning of the word; students will likely only encounter it in history books or classical literature.

## Examples

- The night sky was filled with a myriad of stars.
- The new software update addresses a myriad of security concerns that users have reported over the last month.
- The tropical rainforest is home to a myriad of species, many of which remain undiscovered by modern science due to the sheer density of the undergrowth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.