mélange

[mey-lahnzh, -lahnj]

noun

plural

mélanges 

1. a mixture; medley.

melange

/ meɪˈlɑːnʒ /

noun

1. a mixture; confusion

2. geology a totally disordered mixture of rocks of different shapes, sizes, ages, and origins

mélange

1. A metamorphic rock formation created from materials scraped off the top of a downward moving tectonic plate in a subduction zone. Mélanges occur where plates of oceanic crust subduct beneath plates of continental crust, as along the western coast of South America. They consist of intensely deformed marine sediments and ocean-floor basalts and are characterized by the lack of regular strata, the inclusion of fragments and blocks of various rock types, and the presence of minerals that form only under high pressure and low temperature conditions.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mélange¹

1645–55; < French; Old French meslance, equivalent to mesl ( er ) to mix ( meddle ) + -ance noun suffix ≪ Germanic -ingō -ing ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mélange¹

C17: from French mêler to mix. See _medley

Related Words

• assortment 
• hodgepodge 
• mishmash 

When To Use

What does mélange mean?

A mélange is a mixture or medley, especially of a wide range or variety of items.It is sometimes spelled without the accent mark, as melange.In geology, it is used in a more specific way to refer to a disordered mixture of rocks of different shapes, sizes, ages, and origins. Such a mixture occurs due to the movement of tectonic plates.Another specific use of mélange refers to a type of fabric made with different colored threads.Example: The documentary is a mélange of video clips, still photos, interviews, and animated sequences.