variety

B1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /vəˈɹaɪ.ə.ti/ UK /vəˈɹaɪ.ɪ.ti/ See IPA manual

Freq #6403

Meanings

1

noun
A number of different things of the same general kind.

The shop sells a wide variety of teas from around the world.
2

noun
The quality of including many different things; the state of not always being the same.

Variety is the spice of life.
3

noun
A particular type or form of something.

This variety of apple is sweeter than the others.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a number of different... assortment array range

2 noun · the quality of including... diversity

3 noun · a particular type or form... form kind

Word family

Forms varieties

Derived forms antivarietycinevarietyquasivarietyt-varietyvarietalvarietist

Related forms variant variation variedvariedlyvariednessvariegate variegated variegationvariegatorvariervarious vary

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

variety show
an entertainment program combining different short acts, such as music and comedy

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Variety is the spice of life

Simplified etymology

Variety entered English in the late 15th century from Latin varius, meaning “diverse.” The same Latin source produced variable, variegated, various, and vary.

Etymology

From Middle French varieté (“variety”) (modern French variété (“variety; genre, type”)) or directly from its etymon Latin varietās (“difference; diversity, variety”) + English -ty (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives); by surface analysis, various + -ety. Varietās is derived from varius (“different, diverse, various; variegated”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“to abandon; to give out; to leave”)) + -tās (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns indicating a state of being). The English word displaced the native Old English mislīcnes. Sense 1.3.2 (“total number…

*h₁weh₂- Proto-Indo-European varieté Middle French varietās Latin

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Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# variety

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /vəˈɹaɪ.ə.ti/
**IPA (UK):** /vəˈɹaɪ.ɪ.ti/
**Frequency rank:** 6403

## Meanings
1. A number of different things of the same general kind.
2. The quality of including many different things; the state of not always being the same.
3. A particular type or form of something.

## Examples
- The shop sells a wide variety of teas from around the world.
- Variety is the spice of life.
- This variety of apple is sweeter than the others.

## Derived Forms
- antivariety
- cinevariety
- quasivariety
- t-variety
- varietal
- varietist

## Related Forms
- variant
- variation
- varied
- variedly
- variedness
- variegate
- variegated
- variegation
- variegator
- varier
- various
- vary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₁weh₂-
- Root: varieté
- Root: varietās

## Etymology
From Middle French varieté (“variety”) (modern French variété (“variety; genre, type”)) or directly from its etymon Latin varietās (“difference; diversity, variety”) + English -ty (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives); by surface analysis, various + -ety. Varietās is derived from varius (“different, diverse, various; variegated”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“to abandon; to give out; to leave”)) + -tās (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns indicating a state of being). The English word displaced the native Old English mislīcnes. Sense 1.3.2 (“total number…

## AI Etymology
Variety is from Middle French varieté (“variety”) (modern French variété (“variety; genre, type”)) or directly from its etymon Latin varietās (“difference; diversity, variety”) + English -ty (suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives); by surface analysis, various + -ety. Varietās is derived from varius (“different, diverse, various; variegated”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁weh₂- (“to abandon; to give out; to leave”)) + -tās (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns indicating a state of being). The English word displaced the native Old English mislīcnes.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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