variety

American  

[vuh-rahy-i-tee] / vəˈraɪ ɪ ti /

noun

plural

varieties

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.

---

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

---

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

• nonvariety noun
• overvariety noun
• subvariety noun

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

Example Sentences

But many cases are close-run things, and as the wide variety of conservative opinions show, there are often many sound positions and approaches to choose from.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Charles Passy covers a variety of topics, includingpersonal finance, food, entertainment and anything and everything trending and quirky.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

She's also one of the station's biggest names, having worked on a variety of shows, and since 2019 she has presented the weekday teatime show.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

"However, our modern food environment is too problematic. Instead, people may do best with a more repetitive diet that helps them consistently make healthier choices, even if they might sacrifice some nutritional variety."

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Indeed, many were well educated and came from a variety of ordinary backgrounds: the Gestapo, the police force, government positions, or professions such as law and banking.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Related Words

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