motley
9
7.5
- adjective
- /ˈmɑtli/
:
variopinto
- The festival featured a motley collection of performances from various cultures around the world.
- a motley crew
- a motley group
So we have Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and so on, a real motley selection of lovely things.
- So we have Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and so on, a real motley selection of lovely things.
Examples
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During our trip, we encountered a motley group of travelers, each with their unique stories to share.
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At that time, there was a motley collection of people dealing with the Indians.
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Yeah, it's a motley crew that you'd think would never be able to win a single game.
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What a motley bunch!
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The comedy centers on a motley group of detectives stationed near the outskirts of New York City.
Blog text (30) -
Walking out, the President scans the motley collection of planes: old, new, high-tech, low-tech.
Fiction book (1996) -
She's young, tough—at home with this motley bunch despite her youth.
Fiction book (1997) -
The doors of the abandoned temple towered above Casimir and the motley assortment of orphans.
Fiction book (1992) -
As they pushed through the motley crowd of celebrants, the strangeness of this midnight celebration sank in on Julianna.
Fiction book (1992) -
The art exhibit showcased a motley assortment of styles that reflected the diversity of contemporary art.
Synonyms
25
3.7
Made of different kinds mixed together
17
6.5
Something that contains different kinds of things like papers or tools
8
7.0
A group of different small things
1
1.0
Made of different kinds of things, like roses and lilies
Made of many different, unrelated things
Antonyms
Compounds
How Incongruous
Surface Forms
Etymology
Motley comes from mot, an old word for 'a small spot', used for cloth made of many patches. Calling people a 'motley' group gives the image of very different, mismatched pieces, which is why it means a mixed and odd collection of people or things.