Word of the Day: PANOPLY

The whole set

panoply (noun) - a complete, comprehensive, or impressive collection or array; a full set of armor; pomp or splendor

BREAKDOWN: While the word panoply can apply to a collection or display of basically anything, its origin is distinctly martial: the Greek word panoplia meaning a complete suit of armor. The prefix PAN- means all in words like panacea and panopticon, but the root HOPLA– meaning arms is a direct reference to the Hoplites, who were citizen-soldiers of ancient Greek city-states who owned their own armor and arms.

“Animals never spend time dividing experience into little bits and speculating about all the bits they’ve missed. The whole panoply of the universe has been neatly expressed to them as things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks.” —Terry Pratchett

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]