How to store words in an array in C?

Last Updated : 18 Oct, 2019

We all know how to store a word or String, how to store characters in an array, etc. This article will help you understand how to store words in an array in C. To store the words, a 2-D char array is required. In this 2-D array, each row will contain a word each. Hence the rows will denote the index number of the words and the column number will denote the particular character in that word.

Direct initialization: In this method, the words are already known and the 2-D char array is created with these words directly. Syntax for Direct initialization:

char array[][20] = {"Geek1", "Geek2", "Geek3", ..."};

Syntax for accessing a word:

Lets say we need to fetch the i^th word:

array[i]

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

// C program to store words in an array

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    int i;

    // Direct initialization of 2-D char array
    char array[][20] = { "Geek1", "Geek2", "Geek3" };

    // print the words
    for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
        printf("%s\n", array[i]);

    return 0;
}

Output:

Geek1
Geek2
Geek3

By taking input from user: In this method, the number of words and words are given by the user and we have to create and map the 2-D char array for each word. Syntax:

// Declaration of 2-D char array
// where n is the number of words
char array[n][20];

// Initialization of 2-D char array
for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
    scanf("%s", array[i]);

Syntax for accessing a word:

Lets say we need to fetch the i^th word:

array[i]

Below is the implementation of the above approach:

// C program to store words in an array

#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    int i;

    // Lets say we have 3 words
    int n = 3;

    // Declaration of 2-D char array
    char array[n][20];

    // Initialization of 2-D char array
    for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
        scanf("%s", array[i]);

    // print the words
    for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
        printf("%s\n", array[i]);

    return 0;
}