Assortment

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈsɔːtmənt/

Definitions

1. A diverse selection of items or categories that stand together based on shared attributes creates variety and choice
2. A set of different elements organized together that showcases distinct types or classes for greater variety and appeal
3. A varied collection of distinct items or categories grouped together enhances the options available for selection and preference

Etymology: "Assortment" is built from "assort" plus the suffix "-ment," and the suffix does most of the work in explaining the word's shape. The suffix comes from Latin "-mentum," which English borrowed through Old French "-ment," and it forms nouns that name the result or means of an action. An assortment, then, is literally the result of assorting, the state of things that have been sorted into kinds. The verb "assort" points back to a sorting process. It entered English from Old French "assortir," meaning to sort or match things, and it carries the sense of arranging items so they suit one another. That is why the noun has come to mean a collection gathered from varied parts. The idea is less about mixing things together than about having sorted them into a set that fits the purpose at hand.

Synonyms: variety, selection, collection, array, mix

Antonyms: uniformity, sameness, monotony, similarity, conformity