various

¹var·i·ous

adjective \ˈver-ē-əs\

Definition of VARIOUS

1

archaic : variable, inconstant

2

: varicolored <birds of various plumage>

3

a : of differing kinds : multifarious

b : dissimilar in nature or form : unlike

4

: having a number of different aspects or characteristics <a various place>

5

: of an indefinite number greater than one <stop at various towns>

6

: individual, separate <rate increases granted in the various states>

— var·i·ous·ness noun

Examples of VARIOUS

1. He has lived in places as various as New York and Beijing.
2. <for their various and bizarrely shaped plumage, males of the bird of paradise species have few rivals>

Origin of VARIOUS

Middle English, probably from Medieval Latin *variosus, from Latin varius

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to VARIOUS

Synonyms

chromatic, colored, kaleidoscopic, motley, multicolored, multihued, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, varied, variegated, colorful

Antonyms

colorless; monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored, solid

Related Words

iridescent, opalescent; brave, bright, brilliant, gay, vibrant; flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy; checkered, dotted, patterned, plaid, plaided, striped; dappled (also dapple), marbled, mottled, parti-color (or parti-colored), piebald, pied, pinto; flecked, specked, speckled, spotted; banded, barred, brindled (or brindle), streaked, striated; bichrome, bicolored (or bicolor), dichromatic, trichromatic, tricolor (or tricolored), two-tone, two-toned

Near Antonyms

achromatic; bleached, decolorized, faded, washed-out; dull, faint, gray (also grey), neutral, pale, pallid, unbrilliant

See Synonym Discussion at different

Rhymes with VARIOUS

carious, scarious

²various

pronoun, plural in construction

Definition of VARIOUS

: an indefinite number of separate individuals greater than one <have read various of her essays>

First Known Use of VARIOUS

1877