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va·ri·e·ty (və-rīĭ-tē)
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n. pl. va·ri·e·ties
1. The quality or condition of being various or varied; diversity: We need to add some variety to the program.
2. A number or collection of varied things, especially of a particular group; an assortment: brought home a variety of snacks.
3.
a. Something that is distinguished from others of the same kind by a specific characteristic or set of characteristics: varieties of minerals; varieties of socialism.
b. A form of a language that is used by a specific social group and differs from forms used by other social groups: regional varieties of English.
c. Biology A taxonomic subdivision of a species or subspecies consisting of a group of naturally occurring or selectively bred individuals that differ from other individuals of the species in certain minor characteristics.
4. A variety show.

[French variété, from Old French, from Latin varietās, varietāt-, from varius, various.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.