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

Still, the quality and variety of Mr. Alexander’s public career is instructive.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

The research, led by the University of Nottingham and published in BMC Biology, identified genetic changes linked to tumors in a special variety of leopard gecko.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

"Expectations have changed; people want variety, pace and to build skills that will remain relevant," she says, "It's about a desire for growth."

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

The variety keeps life interesting, but my income changes from month to month, which makes budgeting difficult.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

There is, even within the English-speaking world, quite a variety of music teaching traditions, which sometimes use different terms for the same concepts.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Average chili pepper intake varies dramatically around the world, and cooking methods, pepper varieties, genetics, smoking, alcohol use, and other dietary habits may all influence the results.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

On those rented 50 acres, Mora grows three varieties of plums, as well as peaches and nectarines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

But for farmers like Lu and Han who have built their business around specialised varieties, this has been a difficult season.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Unlike taquitos, flautas are typically longer and traditionally made with flour tortillas, though some varieties also call for corn tortillas.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

Not so lucky is the woman next to him: she has a different set of HLAs, which are able to pick up and transport only eight of the ten varieties.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

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