diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
index 8cbbaa43a76c2..d6661f2d0f4d2 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/functions.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import sys
 import functools
 import warnings
+from collections import namedtuple
 
 if sys.version < "3":
     from itertools import imap as map
@@ -2903,7 +2904,7 @@ def _get_lambda_parameters_legacy(f):
     return spec.args
 
 
-def _create_lambda(f, allowed_arities):
+def _create_lambda(f, expected_nargs):
     """
     Create `o.a.s.sql.expressions.LambdaFunction` corresponding
     to transformation described by f
@@ -2912,17 +2913,17 @@ def _create_lambda(f, allowed_arities):
             - (Column) -> Column: ...
             - (Column, Column) -> Column: ...
             - (Column, Column, Column) -> Column: ...
-    :param allowed_arities: Set[int] Expected arities
+    :param expected_nargs: Set[int] Expected arities
     """
     if sys.version_info >= (3, 3):
         parameters = _get_lambda_parameters(f)
     else:
         parameters = _get_lambda_parameters_legacy(f)
 
-    if len(parameters) not in allowed_arities:
+    if len(parameters) not in expected_nargs:
         raise ValueError(
             """f arity expected to be in {} but is {}""".format(
-                allowed_arities, len(parameters)
+                expected_nargs, len(parameters)
             )
         )
 
@@ -2945,7 +2946,12 @@ def _create_lambda(f, allowed_arities):
     return expressions.LambdaFunction(jexpr, jargs, False)
 
 
-def _invoke_higher_order_function(name, cols, funs):
+# The first element should be Python function (*Column) -> Column
+# The second argument is a Set[int] used to validate arity
+_LambdaSpec = namedtuple("_LambdaSpec", ["func", "expected_nargs"])
+
+
+def _invoke_higher_order_function(name, cols, fun_specs):
     """
     Invokes expression identified by name,
     (relative to ```org.apache.spark.sql.catalyst.expressions``)
@@ -2953,8 +2959,7 @@ def _invoke_higher_order_function(name, cols, funs):
 
     :param name: Name of the expression
     :param cols: a list of columns
-    :param funs: a list of tuples ((*Column) -> Column, Iterable[int])
-                 where the second element represent allowed arities
+    :param fun_specs: a List[_LambdaSpec] objects
 
     :return: a Column
     """
@@ -2963,7 +2968,7 @@ def _invoke_higher_order_function(name, cols, funs):
     expr = getattr(expressions, name)
 
     jcols = [_to_java_column(col).expr() for col in cols]
-    jfuns = [_create_lambda(f, a) for f, a in funs]
+    jfuns = [_create_lambda(spec.func, spec.expected_nargs) for spec in fun_specs]
 
     return Column(sc._jvm.Column(expr(*jcols + jfuns)))
 
@@ -3005,7 +3010,9 @@ def transform(col, f):
     |[1, -2, 3, -4]|
     +--------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("ArrayTransform", [col], [(f, {1, 2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "ArrayTransform", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={1, 2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3030,7 +3037,9 @@ def exists(col, f):
     |        true|
     +------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("ArrayExists", [col], [(f, {1})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "ArrayExists", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={1})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3059,7 +3068,9 @@ def forall(col, f):
     |   true|
     +-------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("ArrayForAll", [col], [(f, {1})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "ArrayForAll", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={1})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3097,7 +3108,9 @@ def filter(col, f):
     |[2018-09-20, 2019-07-01]|
     +------------------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("ArrayFilter", [col], [(f, {1, 2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "ArrayFilter", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={1, 2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3150,14 +3163,15 @@ def aggregate(col, zero, merge, finish=None):
         return _invoke_higher_order_function(
             "ArrayAggregate",
             [col, zero],
-            [(merge, {2}), (finish, {1})]
+            [
+                _LambdaSpec(func=merge, expected_nargs={2}),
+                _LambdaSpec(func=finish, expected_nargs={1}),
+            ],
         )
 
     else:
         return _invoke_higher_order_function(
-            "ArrayAggregate",
-            [col, zero],
-            [(merge, {2})]
+            "ArrayAggregate", [col, zero], [_LambdaSpec(func=merge, expected_nargs={2})]
         )
 
 
@@ -3193,7 +3207,9 @@ def zip_with(col1, col2, f):
     |[foo_1, bar_2, 3]|
     +-----------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("ZipWith", [col1, col2], [(f, {2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "ZipWith", [col1, col2], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3220,7 +3236,9 @@ def transform_keys(col, f):
     |[BAR -> 2.0, FOO -> -2.0]|
     +-------------------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("TransformKeys", [col], [(f, {2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "TransformKeys", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3247,7 +3265,9 @@ def transform_values(col, f):
     |[OPS -> 34.0, IT -> 20.0, SALES -> 2.0]|
     +---------------------------------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("TransformValues", [col], [(f, {2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "TransformValues", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3273,7 +3293,9 @@ def map_filter(col, f):
     |[baz -> 32.0, foo -> 42.0]|
     +--------------------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("MapFilter", [col], [(f, {2})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "MapFilter", [col], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={2})]
+    )
 
 
 @since(3.0)
@@ -3303,7 +3325,9 @@ def map_zip_with(col1, col2, f):
     |[SALES -> 16.8, IT -> 48.0]|
     +---------------------------+
     """
-    return _invoke_higher_order_function("MapZipWith", [col1, col2], [(f, {3})])
+    return _invoke_higher_order_function(
+        "MapZipWith", [col1, col2], [_LambdaSpec(func=f, expected_nargs={3})]
+    )
 
 
 # ---------------------------- User Defined Function ----------------------------------