miscellaneous

American  

[mis-uh-ley-nee-uhs] / ˌmɪs əˈleɪ ni əs /

adjective

1. consisting of members or elements of different kinds; of mixed character.

   a book of miscellaneous essays on American history.

   Synonyms:

   diversified, heterogeneous, varied, divers

2. having various qualities, aspects, or subjects.

   a miscellaneous discussion.

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miscellaneous British  

/ ˌmɪsəˈleɪnɪəs /

adjective

1. composed of or containing a variety of things; mixed; varied

2. having varied capabilities, sides, etc

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Related Words

Miscellaneous, indiscriminate, promiscuous refer to mixture and lack of order, and may imply lack of discernment or taste. Miscellaneous emphasizes the idea of the mixture of things of different kinds or natures: a miscellaneous assortment of furniture. Indiscriminate emphasizes lack of discrimination in choice (and consequent confusion): indiscriminate praise. Promiscuous is even stronger than indiscriminate in its emphasis of complete absence of discrimination: promiscuous in his friendships.

Other Word Forms

• miscellaneously adverb
• miscellaneousness noun

Etymology

Origin of miscellaneous

1630–40; from Latin miscellāneus “mixed, of all sorts,” equivalent to miscell(us) “mixed” + -ān(us) -an + -eus -eous

Explanation

Something miscellaneous is made up of an odd bunch of things — things you might not expect to go together. A breakfast bar, a DVD, and a credit card bill are miscellaneous items that may be in your backpack. The word miscellaneous comes from the Latin word miscere, meaning “to mix.” You might have heard the expression “a mixed bag,” which applies when you don’t quite know what you’re going to get. That’s true of a bag of miscellaneous objects, too. You might pull out socks and a stick of butter — two things that don’t seem to go together. Similarly, miscellaneous can describe something with many variations, like a person who expresses herself in many different ways.

Example Sentences

Alternatively, couples might resolve to establish “yours,” “mine” and “ours” bank accounts where the joint account is used for monthly expenses with a budget that may or may not include miscellaneous activities.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 5, 2025

The speed at which the 24-hour news cycle mills through the profound and the miscellaneous with little meaningful discernment has pushed young people to look for the truth elsewhere.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025

Cameroni De Adams was found three weeks later on Dec. 6 “wedged under miscellaneous items in the vehicle’s middle row,” according to the claim.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2025

Publicly traded U.S. companies must disclose top executives’ salaries, the value of newly granted stock and options and an assortment of miscellaneous perks like personal security guards or corporate jets.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

For several months he had been the butt of various jokes played by the attend-ants and the miscellaneous loafers who hung around the station, despite his warnings and his notorious short temper.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• sundry