Tray
/treɪ/noun
A flat, shallow container used for carrying or holding items.
Did you know?Tray is ultimately related to old Germanic words for a wooden board or plank, showing how everyday objects often keep the shape-memory of ancient materials.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
trēg
“board or plank”
Middle English
ME
treye
“wooden tray or shallow board”
14th Century
English
tray
“a shallow container for carrying things”
Modern English
English
tray
“a flat, shallow container used for holding or carrying items”