smorgasbord

American  

[smawr-guhs-bawrd, -bohrd, shmawr-] / ˈsmɔr gəsˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd, ˈʃmɔr- /

Swedish smörgåsbord

noun

1. a buffet meal of various hot and cold hors d'oeuvres, salads, casserole dishes, meats, cheeses, etc.

2. an extensive array or variety.

   The company has a smorgasbord of employee benefits.

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smorgasbord British  

/ ˈsmɜː-, ˈsmɔːɡəsˌbɔːd /

noun

1. a variety of cold or hot savoury dishes, such as pâté, smoked salmon, etc, served in Scandinavia as hors d'oeuvres or as a buffet meal

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Etymology

Origin of smorgasbord

First recorded in 1875–80; from Swedish smörgåsbord, equivalent to smörgås “(slice of) bread and butter, sandwich,” from smör “butter”; ( smear ( def. ) ) + gås “goose, (dialect) lump of fat or butter” ( goose ( def. ) ) + bord “table” ( board ( def. ) )

Example Sentences

Troops are experimenting with a smorgasbord of buzzing, flying machines—launching more than 600 flights over two weeks during the exercises—and layering them through the depth of the battlefield.

From The Wall Street Journal

To call the 50th-anniversary edition of “Wish You Were Here” a smorgasbord is an understatement.

From Salon

Not far from the school is a marshy wetland, where ducks, geese and migrating birds come to rest and relax, a smorgasbord for a pair of eagles and their young.

From Los Angeles Times

Autism also has been defined ever more broadly over the years — indeed, it’s seen today as a smorgasbord of conditions summed up as “autism spectrum disorder. “

From Los Angeles Times

But unlike those massive growers who typically focus on just one or two of the most popular red varieties, Weidner’s offers a smorgasbord of choices.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• array
• assortment
• hodgepodge
• mishmash