arrangement

American  

[uh-reynj-muhnt] / əˈreɪndʒ mənt /

noun

arrangements plural

1. an act of arranging; state of being arranged.

2. the manner or way in which things are arranged.

   a tactful arrangement of the seating at dinner.

3. a final settlement; adjustment by agreement.

   The arrangement with the rebels lasted only two weeks.

4. Usually arrangements. preparatory measures; plans; preparations.

   They made arrangements for an early departure.

5. something arranged in a particular way.

   a floral arrangement; the arrangement of chairs for the seminar.

6. Music.

   1. the adaptation of a composition to voices or instruments, or to a new purpose.

   2. a piece so adapted.

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idioms

1. final arrangements, the planning or scheduling of funeral services and burial.

   Final arrangements are still pending.

arrangement British  

/ əˈreɪndʒmənt /

noun

1. the act of arranging or being arranged

2. the form in which things are arranged

   he altered the arrangement of furniture in the room

3. a thing composed of various ordered parts; the result of arranging

   a flower arrangement

4. (often plural) a preparatory measure taken or plan made; preparation

5. an agreement or settlement; understanding

6. an adaptation of a piece of music for performance in a different way, esp on different instruments from those for which it was originally composed

7. an adaptation (of a play, etc) for broadcasting

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• rearrangement
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• arrangements
  plural

Etymology

Origin of arrangement

From French, dating back to 1720–30; see origin at arrange, -ment

Explanation

When you organize things in an orderly way, the result is called an arrangement. If you admire your friend's arrangement of his living room furniture, you might go home and make a similar arrangement. Your brother might keep an arrangement of Lego creations on his desk, and you could put an arrangement of wildflowers in a vase in the middle of your kitchen table. Another kind of arrangement is one you make when you negotiate an agreement with another person: "We have an arrangement — she gives me a ride to school and I walk her dog in the afternoon." The Old French root, arengier, means "to set in a row."

Example Sentences

U.K. and Australia, the Quantum Arrangement known as AQuA is already accelerating joint military quantum capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Nearly a year after that debut performance, “Desert Song” was unexpectedly nominated for a 2020 Grammy in the Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals category.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 5, 2023

She was passed on to another company, which signed her up to an Individual Voluntary Arrangement - a court-approved debt solution in which debts are combined into a single monthly payment.

From BBC • Jul. 24, 2023

He contends that he’s owed a greater ownership stake in it after reading “The Arrangement: A Love Story.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2022

I am not well pleased by the Arrangement since we is in some kind Culvert & I am in continual Fears of us all being washed away by Floods.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Related Words

• adjustment
• agreement
• compromise
• deal
• package
• plan
• preparation
• provision
• schedule
• settlement