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melange

melange

1 8.2
A mixture of different things, often very varied and unexpected
  • noun
  • /məˈlɑːnʒ/
translation icon : mezcla
  • That doesn't add anything to the melange of this issue other than seeming incompetence.

Examples

  • I always thought of his cooking—a melange of splendid Central European dishes—as Edwardo-Hapsburg.

    Academic text (1995)
  • It's this melange, this coming together, this intercultural movement that cultural citizenship represents.

  • And it was like a melange of interesting people.

  • So dealing with that kind of melange is not so easy.

  • Suddenly, out of almost out of nowhere, we encounter a melange of strange socialist characters.

  • I spent that interregnum at the American College in Sofia, tutored in a melange of languages that left a permanent imprint on my tongue.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • While showcasing a range of ancient types (in order to stress the variety of Kahlua cocktails), this melange simultaneously ratifies the viewer's likely impression that juxtaposed regional types are of a piece (just as the drinks named above them are variations on a single liqueur).

    Academic text (2000)
  • The Thanksgiving table offers a melange of dishes, sometimes tied together only by family tradition.

  • It's a melange of African traditions and European Christianity.

  • So dealing with that kind of melange is not so easy.

Synonyms

variety
vsmelange
582 1.3

A group of different kinds of things

suggests those kinds form a mismatched or odd whole
combination
vsmelange
553 2.3

A mixture of things or parts that form one thing

focuses instead on variety and surprising contrasts among parts
mix
vsmelange
276 1.0

A group of different things or people that are together

is more about varied and often incongruous collections
mixture
vsmelange
125 1.6

Different things put together, for example foods or ingredients

is often seen as a varied or incongruous assortment
blend
vsmelange
98 2.3

A mix of different things, like colors or spices

is less about smoothness and more about odd variety
a mix of
vsmelange
58 1.8

Different things put together form one thing

leans toward an odd or mismatched assortment
blend of
vsmelange
40 2.8

A mix of different things like styles or flavors

often implies contrast and incongruity among its parts
concoction
vsmelange
24 6.0

A food or drink made by mixing different things, often in a new way

is concerned with varied, possibly incongruous assortment rather than craft
jumble
vsmelange
20 4.6

A confused mixture of things or ideas

often emphasizes variety and mismatch rather than random chaos
hodgepodge
vsmelange
14 7.3

A messy mixture of different things thrown together

leans more toward varied incongruity than simple disorder
amalgam
vsmelange
9 6.8

A mixture of different ideas or styles

stresses variety and incongruity rather than careful integration
mishmash
vsmelange
7 6.4

A confused mix of different things

is more about varied or incongruous assortment than pure disorder
potpourri
vsmelange
7 7.2

A varied collection of different things and styles

leans toward odd or incongruous grouping rather than neat blending
mashup
vsmelange
5 4.6

A new piece made by mixing parts of different songs or videos

is not limited to creative media and stresses odd collection
admixture
vsmelange
1 8.1

Something added to another thing to mix with it

is broader, describing a varied, often incongruous whole
farrago
vsmelange
  • Formal
1 9.9

A confused mix of different things that do not fit together

is more about varied contrast than mere confusion
miscellany
vsmelange
  • Literature
1 7.9

A group of different small things like papers or photos

is more about surprising or mismatched combinations of items
hotch
vsmelange
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A messy mixture of different things

often implies variety and odd pairing beyond simple disorder
olio
vsmelange
1 9.9

A mixed collection of things from many places

is more specific about variety forming an incongruous whole
salmagundi
vsmelange
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A mixed collection of different things

focuses on items arranged in a mismatched or odd way
ragbag
vsmelange
1 7.1

A collection of different, unrelated items

is more about striking incongruity rather than mere unrelatedness
intermixture
vsmelange
7.0

Different things joined together to make one thing

is more about a varied, sometimes clashing assortment
omnium-gatherum
vsmelange
  • Archaic
9.9

A mixed collection of different things, like photos and receipts

stresses the resulting incongruity rather than unified purpose
6.8

A mixture of many bright, different parts like colors and sounds

is more about varied incongruity than vivid or patterned change
hotchpotch
vsmelange
  • UK
8.7

A messy mixture of different things that do not fit together

is seen as varied or incongruous rather than merely messy
gallimaufry
vsmelange
  • Archaic
9.9

A mixed collection of different things

highlights how parts form a strikingly incongruous whole
mingle-mangle
vsmelange
  • Archaic
9.9

A confused mix of different things like old toys and books

is more focused on variety and odd juxtapositions than chaos
chapalang mix
vsmelange
  • UK
9.9

A collection of different things chosen without planning

leans toward incongruous variety rather than just informal diversity
salpicon
vsmelange
9.9

A mixed collection of different things, like essays, photos, or objects

emphasizes odd combinations forming an incongruous whole

Antonyms

uniformity
  • Specialized
18 4.6

The state of being the same in all parts

14 5.5

A boring feeling when things are the same again and again

Compounds

melange yarn
  • Specialized
7.6

A yarn that combines at least two different fibers or colors

How Varied

melange
1 8.2
assortment
36 3.5
mixture
58 1.2
combination
553 2.3
item
1.0

Surface Forms

melange singular
melanges plural

Etymology

The word melange comes from French mélange, which means 'a mix' and from the verb mélanger, 'to mix', and it is like English mingle. Think of different things 'mingling' at a party, so a melange is a varied mixture of items.