motley Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
    mixture; smorgasbord; variety; miscellanea; mixed bag; salmagundi; miscellany; assortment; potpourri.
    • a great assortment of cars was on display
    • he had a variety of disorders
    • a veritable smorgasbord of religions
  2. noun a garment made of motley (especially a court jester's costume)
  3. noun a multicolored woolen fabric woven of mixed threads in 14th to 17th century England
  4. verb make something more diverse and varied
    variegate; vary.
    • Vary the menu
  5. verb make motley; color with different colors
    parti-color.
  6. adjective satellite consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
    mixed; sundry; miscellaneous; assorted.
    • an arrangement of assorted spring flowers
    • assorted sizes
    • miscellaneous accessories
    • a mixed program of baroque and contemporary music
    • a motley crew
    • sundry sciences commonly known as social"- I.A.Richards
  7. adjective satellite having sections or patches colored differently and usually brightly
    painted; multi-coloured; varicoloured; multicolour; varicolored; pied; particolored; multi-color; multicolored; multicoloured; multicolor; particoloured; piebald; multi-colored; multi-colour; calico.
    • a jester dressed in motley
    • the painted desert
    • a particolored dress
    • a piebald horse
    • pied daisies

WordNet

Mot"ley adjective
Etymology
OE. mottelee, motle; cf. OF. mattelé clotted, curdled, OF, ciel mattonné a mottled sky, mate, maton, curdled milk, Prov. G. matte curd. Cf. Mottle.
Definitions
  1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors; dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.
  2. Wearing motley or party-colored clothing. See Motley, n., 1. "A motley fool." Shak.
  3. Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, motley style. Byron.
Mot"ley noun
Definitions
  1. A combination of distinct colors; esp., the party-colored cloth, or clothing, worn by the professional fool. Chaucer. "Motley 's the only wear." Shak.
  2. Hence, a jester, a fool. Obs. Shak. Obs. Beau. & Fl.

Webster 1913