medley

1 of 2

noun

med·​ley ˈmed-lē How to pronounce medley (audio)
plural medleys
1
: a musical composition made up of a series of songs or short pieces
a medley of show tunes
2
: a diverse assortment or mixture
especially : hodgepodge
a medley of sounds
a medley of desserts
was arrested on a medley of charges
3
archaic : melee

medley

2 of 2

adjective

Examples of medley in a Sentence

Noun a medley of show tunes a medley of snack foods available on the buffet table
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Ouai’s peony-pink perfume puts a splash of champagne and a medley of flowers into a scent that adds a celebratory spin to winding down for bed. Jenny Berg, Allure, 13 Mar. 2025 The strand, linking Dickies Arena to Interstate 30, is a medley of vacant lots and unrelated businesses, including boot stores and the Vending Nut Co., a local dry fruit distributor. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Halle Berry, who starred in 2002's Die Another Day, introduced the medley, first by talking about legacy Bond franchise producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson receiving the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, which was given out previously at the Governors Awards. Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2025 After the clock strikes midnight, the Jonas Brothers will take the Times Square stage with a medley performance to commemorate their 20th anniversary as a group. Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 31 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for medley

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English medle, from Anglo-French medlee, from feminine of medlé, past participle of medler to mix — more at meddle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of medley was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Medley.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/medley. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

medley

noun
med·​ley
ˈmed-lē
plural medleys
1
: mixture sense 2
especially : a confused mixture
2
: a musical composition made up of a series of songs or short musical pieces

More from Merriam-Webster on medley

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