Omnifarious

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌɒm.nɪˈfɛəɹi.əs/

Definitions

1. Consisting of a multitude of different varieties, it encompasses a broad spectrum of types across various categories and includes an extensive range of forms or kinds
2. It refers to an inclusion of many diverse categories, displaying a wide array of types or forms throughout all aspects and representing a comprehensive variety of classifications
3. Containing every possible type or variety without limitation

Etymology: Omnifarious comes from Latin "omnifarius," built from "omnis" (all) and a second element related to "fariam," a form meaning "in every way" or "of every kind." The Latin adjective was rare, appearing mostly in late classical and medieval writing, and English took it up as a learned borrowing. The English word is formal and somewhat bookish, which is why it sounds more scholarly than its near-synonym "various." The word's meaning rests on a simple idea: "of every kind." Its Latin parts combine into something close to "all-kinds," and English speakers have kept that sense of variety without the Latin grammar behind it. Because the word sounds so learned, it is often used for comic or pompous effect, as when a writer describes a crowd as "omnifarious" to suggest an elaborate mixture of characters.

Synonyms: varied, diverse, multifarious

Antonyms: uniform, homogeneous, similar