medley

1 of 2

noun

med·​ley ˈmed-lē 

plural medleys

1

: a musical composition made up of a series of songs or short pieces

a medley of show tunes

2

: a diverse assortment or mixture

especially : hodgepodge

a medley of sounds

a medley of desserts

was arrested on a medley of charges

3

archaic : melee

medley

2 of 2

adjective

: mixed, motley

Synonyms

Noun

• variety
• assortment
• jumble
• collage
• mélange

Examples of medley in a Sentence

Noun

a medley of show tunes

a medley of snack foods available on the buffet table

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Hamilton’s Cast Reunion at the Tony Awards Consumption of the Hamilton cast recording exploded following it being highlighted via a medley of songs performed during the 2025 Tony Awards. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025

Mary’s get their bite from a seedy medley (including sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame, and poppy seeds) that imparts an earthy taste and serious body. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 10 June 2025

Adjective

Best Night to Be Jamie Foxx On top of Wonder's special appearance, Foxx was honored with a medley performance featuring Ludacris, Jennifer Hudson, T-Pain and more. —Brendan Le, People.com, 10 June 2025

The same thing apparently happened during Stefani’s medley performance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her 2004 album Love. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 27 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English medle, from Anglo-French medlee, from feminine of medlé, past participle of medler to mix — more at meddle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing medley

• chance-medley
• individual medley
• medley relay

Rhymes for medley

• deadly

Kids Definition

medley

noun

med·​ley

ˈmed-lē

plural medleys

1

: mixture sense 2

especially : a confused mixture

2

: a musical composition made up of a series of songs or short musical pieces