variety

American  

[vuh-rahy-i-tee] / vəˈraɪ ɪ ti /

noun

• varieties
  plural

1. the state of being varied or diversified.

   to give variety to a diet.

   Synonyms:

   multiplicity, diversity

   Antonyms:

   sameness

2. a number of different types of things, especially ones in the same general category.

   A variety of tropical plants dominate the hotel porch.

   The variety of baked goods is impressive.

   Synonyms:

   group, collection, assortment

3. a kind or sort.

   This variety of yogurt is especially dense because it has very little whey.

4. a particular form, condition, or phase of something.

   Artistic pursuits of every variety are represented here.

   Synonyms:

   species, class, sort, kind

5. a category within a species, based on some hereditary difference.

6. a type of animal or plant produced by artificial selection.

7. Philately. a stamp differing from others of the same issue through an accident other than an error of an artist or printer.

8. Older Use. difference; discrepancy.

9. Also called variety show.  entertainment of mixed character, consisting of a number of individual performances or acts, as of singing, dancing, or skits.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a variety: variety performers.

   a variety store;

   variety performers.

variety British  

/ vəˈraɪɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality or condition of being diversified or various

2. a collection of unlike things, esp of the same general group; assortment

3. a different form or kind within a general category; sort

   varieties of behaviour

4. 1. taxonomy a race whose distinct characters are insufficient to justify classification as a separate species; a subspecies

   2. horticulture stockbreeding a strain of animal or plant produced by artificial breeding

5. 1. entertainment consisting of a series of short unrelated performances or acts, such as comedy turns, songs, dances, sketches, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a variety show

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Usage

As a collective noun, variety, when preceded by a, is often treated as a plural: A variety of inexpensive goods are sold here. When preceded by the, it is usually treated as a singular: The variety of products is small. See also collective noun.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonvariety
  noun
• overvariety
  noun
• subvariety
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• varieties
  plural

Etymology

Origin of variety

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin varietās, equivalent to vari(us) various ( def. ) + -etās, variant of -itās -ity ( def. ) after a vowel

Explanation

Variety is a quality similar to diversity or difference. Some feel having variety in life is much more exciting than doing the same routine day in and day out. You’ve likely heard the expression “variety is the spice of life” to describe how our days are more interesting when different things happen. Variety can also describe different things that are classified under one category or type, like varieties of apple — granny smith, pink lady, or red delicious. A variety show is entertainment that includes a number of different and unrelated acts, like fire eaters, string bands, comedians, lounge singers, and spoon players.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

variety varieties

The number of heart failure-related hospitalizations was higher than the number of newly diagnosed heart failure cases because hospitals may enter a variety of related diagnostic codes.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

But they know that moving abroad isn’t for everyone, so they did some research and came up with a variety of affordable cities in the U.S. where you might want to spend your retirement.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 28, 2026

His prudent approach is to avoid a single grand plan and embrace a multifaceted strategy that borrows pertinent insights from a variety of approaches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Parton was 21 when she joined Wagoner's variety TV show.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

This variety ensured that the ancient foragers received all the necessary nutrients.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Oysters are a staple of brunch menus and seafood buffets across Australia, with local varieties famed for their rich, creamy flavour.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

Cowin addresses us directly, sharing her anxieties about aging, particularly the varieties of physical decline.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

The study, published in ACS Food Science & Technology, focused on three varieties made by Nettlebed Creamery in Oxfordshire.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

All are hybrids - crossbred varieties created by combining two or more distinct grape species.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

Given the claims emanating from Berkeley about the superiority of the cyclotron for all varieties of nuclear research, the oversight demanded a deeper explanation than simply a miswired switch.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• assortment
• brand
• breed
• category
• character
• description
• kind
• nature
• quality
• strain