variety

noun

va·​ri·​e·​ty və-ˈrī-ə-tē 

plural varieties

1

: the quality or state of having different forms or types : multifariousness

2

: a number or collection of different things especially of a particular class : assortment

3

a

: something differing from others of the same general kind : sort

b

: any of various groups of plants or animals ranking below a species : subspecies

4

: variety show

Synonyms

• assortment
• diverseness
• diversity
• heterogeneity
• heterogeneousness
• manifoldness
• miscellaneousness
• multifariousness
• multiplicity
• variousness

Examples of variety in a Sentence

I was surprised by the variety of the choices that were available.

My life needs more variety.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Generals, like the Globetrotters, practice and work on a variety of areas on the court. —Jason Jones, The Athletic, 15 Feb. 2025

Other lawsuits are likely to be filed, just as there have been challenges to a variety of Trump's policies. —Manuel Valdes The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 15 Feb. 2025

The shelter was funded largely through a variety of grants from the county, the state and the federal government. —Gqlshare, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025

These varieties produce flower buds during the summer that will open next season . —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French or Latin; Middle French varieté, borrowed from Latin varietāt-, varietās, from varius "having contrasting colors, various entry 1" + -etāt- -etās, variant of -itās -ity

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing variety

• garden-variety
• sub-variety
• variety is the spice of life
• variety meat
• variety show
• variety store

Kids Definition

variety

noun

va·​ri·​ety

və-ˈrī-ət-ē

plural varieties

1

: the quality or state of having different forms or types

2

: a number or collection of different things : assortment

3

a

: something differing from others of the class to which it belongs

b

: any of various groups of plants or animals within a species that are separated from other groups by characteristics not constant enough or too unimportant to separate species

Medical Definition

variety

noun

va·​ri·​e·​ty və-ˈrī-ət-ē 

plural varieties

: any of various groups of plants or animals ranking below a species : subspecies