Arrange

How to spell arrange

7 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce arrange

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does arrange mean?

1. verbTo put things into a deliberate order, or to plan and settle the details of something in advance.

Arrange in a sentence

• The assistant will arrange the meeting room before the clients arrive.

• We need to arrange transport from the airport to the hotel.

Where does arrange come from?

Language of origin: French

This word came into English from the Old French arangier, meaning 'to put in a row' or 'to set in order'. That verb was built from the prefix a- (a worn-down form of the Latin ad-, meaning 'to' or 'towards') and rang or renc, the Old French word for a 'rank', 'row', or 'line', which itself traces back to a Germanic root for a ring or circle. So the literal idea was to draw things up into a tidy line, and the modern senses of organising, settling, or adapting all grew out of that picture of putting items neatly in order. English adopted it in the late Middle Ages, around the 1300s, though it was rare until much later. The double r is the spelling trap: it reflects the assimilation of the ad- prefix against the r of range, just as in 'arrive' and 'arrest', and the silent final e softens the g.

How the word is built

• ar- (variant of ad-: to, towards)
• range (row, line, from Old French rang)
• -e