Table

/ˈteɪ.bəl/ noun

Definition

A table is a piece of furniture with a flat top and legs, used for working, eating, or placing things on. The word can also mean a set of information arranged in rows and columns.

Etymology

It comes from Old English 'tabele', from Latin 'tabula' meaning 'board, plank, writing tablet'. Over time, the idea of a flat surface extended to both furniture and organized lists of data.

Kelly Says

The same word that names your dining table also names tables in math and spreadsheets, because both are about laying things out on a flat surface. Before screens existed, a 'table' of data was literally written on a flat board or tablet.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.