1. The state of quality of being diverse; a collection of many different types or kinds
   "the range and variety of his work is amazing";
   - diverseness, diversity, multifariousness
    
2. A collection containing many different types of things
   "he had a variety of disorders";
   - assortment, mixture, mixed bag [informal], miscellany, miscellanea, salmagundi, smorgasbord, potpourri, motley, smörgåsbord
    
3. (biology) a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differ from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics
   "varieties are frequently recognized in botany"
    
4. A show consisting of a series of short unrelated performances
   "The television variety show featured singers, comedians, and acrobats";
   - variety show
    
5. A category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
   "what varieties of desserts are there?";
   - kind, sort, form
    
6. A difference that is usually pleasant
   "he goes to France for variety";
   - change

Derived forms: varieties

See also: unvaried, unvarying, varied

Type of: accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, category, collection, difference, heterogeneity, heterogeneousness, show, taxon, taxonomic category, taxonomic group

Part of: species

Encyclopedia: Variety, the Children's Charity