Disarray is a state of complete disorder. Thrown into disarray, in disarray, papers in disarray.
It suits organisations and plans more than rooms — a party in disarray is the standard political phrase — and it implies something that had an order and lost it. The array behind it means an arrangement in order, which is what the dis- undoes. Note that array once meant drawing up troops in ranks.
1noundisarrayA state of complete disorder.
“After the burglary, the whole house was in disarray.”
disarray is a disorder.
Old French desareer is des- plus areer, to array or set in order. Array once meant drawing troops up in ranks.
Old French
desareer
Middle French
desarroyer
Middle English
disareyen — to disarray
English, today
disarray
Built from
From Middle English disareyen (“to disarray”), from Middle French desarroyer, from Old French desareer, from des- (“dis-”) + areer (“to array”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA