dais

noun

da·is ˈdā-əs

nonstandard

ˈdī-

Synonyms of dais next

: a raised platform (as in a hall or large room)

Mounting the dais which had been set up for his use, he swirled the sinister cloak about him and sat down in the Abbot's chair.—

Brian Jacques

Examples of dais in a Sentence

the speaker took his place at the front of the dais

Recent Examples on the Web She was accompanied by DioGuardi as the second woman on the dais, alongside Jackson and Cowell. —

Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 31 July 2024 Cheers and boos competed in the 18,000-seat arena as Reagan and Ford’s supporters traded off giving speeches on the dais. —

Ben Bradford / Made By History, TIME, 16 July 2024 Divide and replant perennials including shasta daises, gerbera, bromeliads and many bulbs. —

Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2024 At the reception, one niece ran circles around the room, and then vomited on herself on the dais at the front of the room during the meal. —

Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 29 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for dais

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dais.' 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

Middle English deis, des "high table, elevated platform occupied by a court or council," borrowed from Anglo-French deis, dais (continental Old French deis "table of honor set up on a platform"), going back to Medieval Latin discus "raised table, platform," going back to Latin, "discus, kind of plate, gong," borrowed from Greek dískos "discus," in Late Greek also "dish, round mirror, the sun's disk, gong" — more at discus

Note: See note at dish entry 1. The predominant form in Middle French is dois, which should have resulted in Modern French [dwa]; the reason for the outcome dais [dɛ], with the presumed shift [dwɛ] to [dɛ], is in this, as in a number of parallel cases, unclear. As pointed out by the Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, the English word was, excepting Scots, out of use by 1600; the current word is an antiquarian revival, with the spelling presumably copying modern French.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of dais was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dais.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dais. Accessed 22 Aug. 2024.

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Kids Definition

dais

noun

da·is ˈdā-əs

: a raised platform (as in a large room)

Last Updated: 7 Aug 2024 - Updated example sentences

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dais

noun

Synonyms

Examples of dais in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near dais

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition