motley
1
8.0
- noun
- /ˈmɑtli/
- Archaic
:
traje de bufón
- They picked up the physics puzzle game Quantum Conundrum and signed a neat iOS game called Motley Blocks.
- a man in motley
Examples
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In the old theater, actors performed in bright motley, bringing the scenes to life with their vibrant costumes.
-
Motley.
Fiction book (2002) -
Two hippies come up, all arrayed in motley and dancing around, ringing bells.
Fiction book (1992) -
Now, obviously, I never commented on your earlier posts about KISS and Motley Crue, but that's because I don't know anything about either.
Blog text (3) -
Across from us slumps a man in the moth-eaten motley of the homeless, who smells of beer and vomit like so many I've seen in the waiting room at the hospital, cooking up symptoms from bad feet to blindness to get a bed for the night, an institutional breakfast on a tray.
Fiction book (1999) -
The jester wore a colorful motley, which was complemented by bells on his hat.
-
Children laughed as the clown entered, his motley making him stand out among the audience.
Synonyms
514
1.3
A set of clothes that makes someone look like a character used in plays or parties
5
3.5
A costume people wear to hide who they are at a party
Antonyms
Compounds
How Colorful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Motley comes from an old word mot meaning 'a small spot', which you can see in the modern word mottled. It was first used for cloth with many patches, especially the bright patchwork costume of a jester, so it now means a multicolored garment.