different between melange vs motley

English

Etymology

From French mélange, from Middle French mélange, meslange, from Old French meslance, meslinges (“set of diverse elements”), derived from mescler (“to mingle, mix up”) (modern French mêler), from Vulgar Latin *miscul?re, from Latin misce? (“mix”) + -inges, a suffix from Frankish *-ingo (“-ing”). More at mix, -ing.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??l?n?/, /m??l???/, /me??l?n?/, /me??l???/

Noun

melange (plural melanges)

1. A mixture of different things; a disordered mixture.

   The room was a melange of comic books and posters.

2. A Viennese coffee speciality, half steamed milk and half coffee.
3. (geology) A large-scale breccia formed in the accretionary wedge over a subductional environment.

Alternative forms

• mélange

Synonyms

• (collection of a variety of things): assortment, farrago, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, mingle-mangle, mishmash, mixture, omnium-gatherum, ragbag
• See also Thesaurus:hodgepodge

Translations

Anagrams

• gleeman

English

Etymology

From Middle English motle, from Anglo-Norman motteley (“parti-colored”), late 14th c., from Old English mot (“speck”), cognate with mote.

Equivalent to mottle +? -y

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?m?tli/

Adjective

motley (comparative more motley or motlier, superlative most motley or motliest)

1. Comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity.

   Synonyms: heterogeneous, diverse, manifold; see also Thesaurus:heterogeneous
2. Having many colours; variegated.

   Synonyms: colorful, prismatic, variegated; see also Thesaurus:multicolored

Derived terms

• motley crew

Translations

Noun

motley (plural motleys)

1. An incongruous mixture.
2. A jester's multicoloured clothes.
3. (by extension) A jester; a fool.

Translations

Anagrams

• etymol.