eclectic

¹eclec·tic

adj \e-ˈklek-tik, i-\

Definition of ECLECTIC

1

: selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles

2

: composed of elements drawn from various sources; also : heterogeneous

— eclec·ti·cal·ly \-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of ECLECTIC

1. The collection includes an eclectic mix of historical artifacts.
2. <the museum's eclectic collection has everything from a giraffe skeleton to medieval musical instruments>
3. All around us, fishers galumphed past. … They carried an eclectic array of rods, nets, buckets and coolers. —Stephen C. Sautner, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2000
4. Her witty, mordant and splendidly vinegary observations were informed by broad and eclectic reading. —George F. Will, Newsweek, 24 May 1999
5. The polo crowd is eclectic and dangerously hagridden with narcissism and treachery, and that is the way they like it. —Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 15 Dec. 1994
6. … big wheels of country bread and eclectic selections of pâtés, hams, cheeses, honey and all sorts of homemade cookies and sweets. —Per-Henrik Mansson, Wine Spectator, 28 Feb. 1993

Origin of ECLECTIC

Greek eklektikos, from eklegein to select, from ex- out + legein to gather — more at legend

First Known Use: 1683

Related to ECLECTIC

Synonyms: assorted, miscellaneous, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, mixed, motley, patchwork, piebald, promiscuous, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied

Antonyms: homogeneous

Related Words: manifold, multifarious; multiple, multiplex, myriad; disparate, divergent, diverse, sundry, various; chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled (or dishevelled), disordered, farraginous, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled; amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, commixed, conglomerated, fused, incorporated, intermingled, intermixed, merged, mingled; composite, conglomerate, hybrid; unclassified, unsorted

Near Antonyms: monolithic, uniform; alike, identical, like, same; distinct, distinctive, individual, separate

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Rhymes with ECLECTIC

cachectic, cathectic