array

/əˈɹeɪ/

//əˈɹeɪ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"array" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“array” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,023 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#6,023
frequency rank, English
5
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Clothing and ornamentation; raiment.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

array vs away
60% similar
array vs aura
60% similar
array vs Arya
40% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for array
PropertyValue
Headwordarray
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/əˈɹeɪ/
Letters5
Frequency rank#6,023
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “array” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). array lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for array is 5 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈɹeɪ/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,023 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 11 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for array, with forms such as "arary", "aray", and "arrayy". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "away", "aura", "Arya", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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, o… The correct English form is array, spelled A-R-R-A-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Clothing and ornamentation; raiment.
  2. 2
    A collection laid out to be viewed in full.
  3. 3
    An orderly series, arrangement or sequence.
  4. 4
    Order; a regular and imposing arrangement; disposition in regular lines; hence, order of battle.
  5. 5
    A large collection.
  6. 6
    A matrix.
  7. 7
    Any of various data structures designed to hold multiple elements of the same type; especially, a data structure that holds these elements in adjacent memory locations so that they may be retrieved using numeric indices.
  8. 8
    A ranking or setting forth in order, by the proper officer, of a jury as impanelled in a cause; the panel itself; or the whole body of jurors summoned to attend the court.
  9. 9
    A militia.
  10. 10
    A group of hedgehogs.
  11. 11
    A microarray.

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.

Antonyms

disarray

This word in other languages

atavío(Español)éventail(Français)Bekleidung(Deutsch)conjunto(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: arary,aray,arrayy,arrya,raray

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of array - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

arary2aray1arrayy1arrya2raray2
Edit distance from "array"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "array"?
"array" is spelled A-R-R-A-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈɹeɪ/.
What does "array" mean?
As a noun, "array" means: Clothing and ornamentation; raiment.
What words are commonly confused with "array"?
"array" is commonly confused with "away", "aura", "Arya". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "array"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "array" is /əˈɹeɪ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "array"?
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 (“prep... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “array”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is A-R-R-A-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /əˈɹeɪ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “away” - see the side-by-side comparison. array vs away
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list