tray

¹

[trey]

noun

1. a flat, shallow container or receptacle made of wood, metal, etc., usually with slightly raised edges, used for carrying, holding, or displaying articles of food, glass, china, etc.

2. a removable receptacle of this shape in a cabinet, box, trunk, or the like, sometimes forming a drawer.

3. a tray and its contents.

   to order a breakfast tray from room service.

tray

²

[trey]

noun

Australian Slang.

1. a coin worth threepence.

tray

/ treɪ /

noun

1. a thin flat board or plate of metal, plastic, etc, usually with a raised edge, on which things can be carried

2. a shallow receptacle for papers, etc, sometimes forming a drawer in a cabinet or box

Word History and Origins

Origin of tray¹

before 1050; Middle English; Old English trēg, trīg; cognate with Old Swedish trö corn measure; akin to tree

Origin of tray²

1895–1900; compare earlier argot trey, tray three, a set of three, probably ultimately < Italian tre (< Latin trēs three ); trey

Word History and Origins

Origin of tray¹

Old English trieg ; related to Old Swedish trö corn measure, Old Norse treyja carrier, Greek driti tub, German Trog _trough

Example Sentences

At holidays or graduations or milestone birthdays, we’d joke about phantom hunger pangs, gesturing to the empty spot where the foil tray should’ve been.

From Salon

Mark Hargreaves runs a trolley and tray manufacturing and export business in Peckham, south London.

From BBC

At the commission's headquarters near Arras, Stephan showed us trays of objects which had been found there, including parts of boots, rusted belt buckles, shoulder badges, buttons and regimental insignia.

From BBC

Behind the door, Mira is crouching over a small cooker in the shower tray.

From BBC

You can make the hoagie yourself, or most delis offer catering-size hoagies and sandwich trays, if you’re not in the cooking mood.

From Salon

Related Words

• plate