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Merriam - Webster Word of the day *myriad* one of my favorite words
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Merriam - Webster Word of the day *myriad* one of my favorite words
1 of 2
noun
myr·i·ad ˈmir-ē-əd
Synonyms of myriad
1
: ten thousand
2
: a great number
a myriad of ideas
Is myriad a noun?: Usage Guide
Recent criticism of the use of myriad as a noun, both in the plural form myriads and in the phrase a myriad of, seems to reflect a mistaken belief that the word was originally and is still properly only an adjective. As the entries here show, however, the noun is in fact the older form, dating to the 16th century. The noun myriad has appeared in the works of such writers as Milton (plural myriads) and Thoreau (a myriad of), and it continues to occur frequently in reputable English. There is no reason to avoid it.
myriad
2 of 2
adjective
1
: innumerable
those myriad problems
also : both numerous and diverse
myriad topics
2
: having innumerable aspects or elements
the myriad activity of the new land—
Meridel Le Sueur
Did you know?
You don’t need ten thousand justifications to use myriad as a noun, only one: with more than 400 years of usage history behind it, the noun myriad, as in the phrase “a myriad of,” is a well-established and respectable member of the English language. Still, we understand that “myriad of” raises the hackles of myriad folks who were taught at one point or another that myriad is only to be used as an adjective, and that phrases like “a myriad of emailers vexed about myriad” should be shunned in favor of “myriad emailers vexed about myriad.” Now, to each their own lexical peeves and pleasures, but let it be known that myriad entered the English language in the mid-1500s as a noun, and since its introduction has been used in the senses of “ten thousand,” “a set of ten thousand,” “an immense or indefinitely large number,” and “a great multitude”; furthermore, it has appeared in the works of such writers as Milton, Thoreau, Twain, and DuBois—no slouches when it comes to wielding words. Myriad the adjective is about 200 years younger, but both continue to enjoy wide use today.
Synonyms
Noun
abundance
barrel
basketful
boatload
bucket
bunch
bundle
bushel
carload
chunk
deal
dozen
fistful
gobs
good deal
heap
hundred
lashings [chiefly British]
lashins
loads
lot
mass
mess
mountain
much
multiplicity
oodles
pack
passel
peck
pile
plateful
plenitude
plentitude
plenty
pot
potful
profusion
quantity
raft
reams
scads
sheaf
shipload
sight
slew
spate
stack
store
ton
truckload
volume
wad
wealth
yard
Adjective
divers
manifold
multifarious
Example Sentences
Noun Mr. McCullough hails Adams for being uncannily prescient … foreseeing a myriad of developments, from the difficulty of defeating the British … to the divisive consequences of slavery. —
Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 22 May 2001
Sectarian Protestantism reinforced both American individualism and the tendency of the society to be self-organizing in a myriad of voluntary associations and communities. — Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999
Out in the barrios, under the nipa palms, he listened to the myriads of humming cicadas and the call of the geckos. —
Nina FitzPatrick, Fables of the Irish Intelligentsia, 1991
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Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Shop Now 3 Basil A delicious addition to a myriad of dishes including salads, pasta, and pizza, basil is an essential herb for any kitchen. —
Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 4 Aug. 2023 Over the centuries, many observers hypothesized that the Milky Way’s soft luminescence was the collective glow from myriads of stars that were too faint and close together in the sky to be individually distinguished. —
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 4 Aug. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'myriad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun and Adjective
Greek myriad-, myrias, from myrioi countless, ten thousand
First Known Use
Noun
1555, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1735, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of myriad was in 1555
See more words from the same year
Articles Related to myriad
alt 59e506c5c02ae
C'mon, Of Course 'Myriad' Is a Noun
Some say it's just an adjective, but we say no
Dictionary Entries Near myriad
myriacanthous
myriad
myriadfold
Cite this Entry
Style
“Myriad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myriad. Accessed 27 Aug. 2023.
Kids Definition
myriad
1 of 2 noun
myr·i·ad ˈmir-ē-əd
1
: ten thousand
2
: a large but not specified or counted number
myriads of stars
myriad
2 of 2 adjective
: extremely numerous
the myriad grains of sand on a beach
More from Merriam-Webster on myriad
Nglish: Translation of myriad for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of myriad for Arabic Speakers
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