motley

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English motle, from Anglo-Norman motteley (“parti-colored”), from Old English mot (“speck”). Doublet of mote. The English word can be analysed as mottle +‎ -y. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈmɒtli/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈmɑtli/ Hyphenation: mot‧ley === Adjective === motley (comparative more motley or motlier or motleyer, superlative most motley or motliest or motleyest) Comprising greatly varied elements, to the point of incongruity. Synonyms: heterogeneous, diverse, manifold; see also Thesaurus:heterogeneous Having many colours; variegated. Synonyms: colorful, prismatic, variegated; see also Thesaurus:multicolored ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== mottled (adjective) ==== Translations ==== === Noun === motley (countable and uncountable, plural motleys) An incongruous mixture. (uncountable) A jester's multicoloured clothes. (countable, figuratively, by extension) A jester; a fool. ==== Translations ==== === Verb === motley (third-person singular simple present motleys, present participle motleying, simple past and past participle motleyed) (transitive) To give something a patchwork appearance. (transitive, figuratively, by extension) To make something multicolored, variegated, or diverse in character. === Anagrams === etymol.