Spray
/spreɪ/noun
A fine mist or scatter of small drops; also, to scatter liquid in this way.
Did you know?The word’s history is surprisingly messy: English spray has been linked to an older sense meaning a branch or twig, and later to the idea of something scattered or splashed outward, which is why its modern meaning feels so alive and explosive.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sper-
“to scatter, strew, or disperse”
Old English
English
sprǣw / spreaw
“a branch, twig, or spray of greenery”
Middle English
English
spray
“a branch, twig; later, a small scattering or splash”
Early Modern English
English
spray
“a fine scatter of drops or particles”
Modern English
English
spray
“a mist of liquid droplets or the act of scattering them”