Panoplies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection or display of varied items or elements, particularly in the context of armor or weaponry
2. A wide-ranging assortment that can refer to both physical objects and abstract concepts
3. An elaborate array or comprehensive set that showcases a rich diversity or completeness in a given category

Etymology: "Panoplies" is the plural of "panoply," and the word has a striking etymology: it is built from Greek roots meaning "all" and "arms." The Greek "panoplia" combined "pan," meaning "all," with "hopla," meaning "arms" or "armor," describing the full set of equipment a heavily armed soldier carried into battle. The sense of "a complete array" or "splendid display" came later, as the image of a full suit of armor gradually broadened into any impressive, orderly collection. English adopted the word from French, where it had already taken on this wider meaning, so the modern sense of a magnificent assembly of things grew out of the original picture of a warrior fully equipped.

Synonyms: arrays, displays