panoply
Americannoun
-
a wide-ranging and impressive array or display.
the dazzling panoply of the maharaja's procession; the panoply of European history.
-
a complete suit of armor.
-
a protective covering.
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full ceremonial attire or paraphernalia; special dress and equipment.
noun
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a complete or magnificent array
-
the entire equipment of a warrior
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of panoply
1570–80; < Greek panoplía full complement of arms and armor, equivalent to pan- pan- + ( h ) ópl ( a ) arms, armor ( cf. hoplite) + -ia -ia
Explanation
A panoply is a collection or an assortment of things. You might be eager to show off your panoply of bobble-head dolls when friends come to your house. An array or display of things is a panoply, so you can show off your panoply of spooky clown paintings, but you can also display a panoply of dance moves or talk about the panoply of flags at the parade — as long as it's a complete or impressive display, it's a true panoply. In ancient Greece, the word was used exclusively to talk about military costumes which were always suits of armor.
Vocabulary lists containing panoply
The Scarlet Letter
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For National Pancake Day, Words With the Greek Roots "Pan-"
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Much Ado: Synonyms for "Many"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This year I purchased my own show back from what was formerly the Panoply network and is now a hot technology company called Megaphone.
From Slate • Oct. 19, 2020
Dan Bloom, a producer for the podcast company Panoply, was among the first to name a person of interest, by honing in on what seemed like an unusual word choice.
From Salon • Sep. 20, 2018
Later this year, Panoply is teasing a new show meant to push the boundaries of another typical podcast form: the mystery.
From New York Times • Sep. 13, 2018
“Right now, there’s a lot of the same content aimed at the same audience — investigative journalism, amateur chat,” said Mr. Soyoola, who joined Endeavor from Panoply Media, a podcasting network.
From New York Times • Sep. 13, 2018
Panoply, pan′ō-pli, n. complete armour: a full suit of armour.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
