01 n. The quality or state of being various; intermixture or succession of different things; diversity; multifariousness.
pl.
Varieties ((#))
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1.
The quality or state of being various; intermixture or succession of different things; diversity; multifariousness.“Variety is nothing else but a continued novelty.” — South.“The variety of colors depends upon the composition of light.” — Sir I. Newton.“For earth hath this variety from heaven.” — Milton.“There is a variety in the tempers of good men.” — Atterbury.
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2.
That which is various.
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3.
A number or collection of different things; a varied assortment; as, a variety of cottons and silks.“He . . . wants more time to do that variety of good which his soul thirsts after.” — Law.
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4.
Something varying or differing from others of the same general kind; one of a number of things that are akin; a sort; as, varieties of wood, land, rocks, etc.
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5.
An individual, or group of individuals, of a species differing from the rest in some one or more of the characteristics typical of the species, and capable either of perpetuating itself for a period, or of being perpetuated by artificial means; hence, a subdivision, or peculiar form, of a species.(Biol.)
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6.
In inorganic nature, one of those forms in which a species may occur, which differ in minor characteristics of structure, color, purity of composition, etc.
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7.
Such entertainment as in given in variety shows; the production of, or performance in, variety shows.(Theaters) [Cant]“All sorts are here that all the earth yields! Variety without end.” — Milton.“But see in all corporeal nature's scene, What changes, what diversities, have been!” — Blackmore.
Phrases & compounds
Geographical variety —
a variety of any species which is coincident with a geographical region, and is usually dependent upon, or caused by, peculiarities of climate.
Variety hybrid —
a cross between two individuals of different varieties of the same species; a mongrel.
Syn.
Diversity; difference; kind.
-- Variety, Diversity. A man has a variety of employments when he does many things which are not a mere repetition of the same act; he has a diversity of employments when the several acts performed are unlike each other, that is, diverse. In most cases, where there is variety there will be more or less of diversity, but not always. One who sells railroad tickets performs a great variety of acts in a day, while there is but little diversity in his employment.