smorgasbord

noun

smor·​gas·​bord ˈsmȯr-gəs-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce smorgasbord (audio)
1
: a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
2
: an often large heterogeneous mixture : mélange

Did you know?

Although smorgasbord might make us think of a variety of foods, the Swedish word smörgås refers to a particular food item—an open sandwich or, alternatively, a slice of bread covered with butter—which is a staple of the traditional Swedish smorgasbord. (The word smör means "butter," and gås can mean "a lump of butter" as well as "goose.") Smörgås teamed up with the Swedish word bord, meaning "table" or "board," to form smorgasbord; the word first appeared in English in the later part of the 19th century. By the mid-20th century smorgasbord was being used outside of food-related contexts to refer to something that comprises a mixture or assemblage of different parts.

Examples of smorgasbord in a Sentence

every day the director has to first deal with a smorgasbord of problems before he can begin filming
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
New York City, New York Population 8.2 million With thousands of bars and restaurants spread throughout its five boroughs, New York City offers a veritable smorgasbord of activities, 24 hours a day. Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025 In fact, there might almost be too much going on during this smorgasbord of tunes and tastes. Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 19 May 2025 That’s two meals for the price of one, plus the smorgasbord of bottomless soup, salad, and breadsticks. Alyssa Davis, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025 The film further lifts the veil on the artist’s influence, as a variable smorgasbord of talent converges throughout to deconstruct the impact of his life, art, his curious process and disposition. Holly Jones, Variety, 9 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for smorgasbord

Word History

Etymology

Swedish smörgåsbord, from smörgås open sandwich + bord table

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smorgasbord was in 1873

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Cite this Entry

“Smorgasbord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smorgasbord. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

smorgasbord

noun
smor·​gas·​bord ˈsmȯr-gəs-ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce smorgasbord (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a self-service luncheon or supper offering a large variety of foods and dishes
Etymology

from Swedish smörgåsbord "a buffet meal," from smörgås "open sandwich" and bord "table"

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