Motley — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /ˈmät-lē/ mot·ley

Meaning & Definition of Motley

Motley (adjective)

  1. variegated in color
  2. made up of many different people or things

Motley (noun)

  1. a woolen fabric of mixed colors made in England between the 14th and 17th centuries
  2. a garment made of motley; especially, the characteristic dress of the professional fool
  3. jester, fool

Motley (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. consisting of many things of different sorts

    "a ship with a motley crew of old salts, young adventurers, and shifty characters of all ages"

    similar: assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, patchwork, piebald, promiscuous, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied
    related: manifold, multifarious, multiple, multiplex, myriad, disparate, divergent, diverse, sundry, various, chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, farraginous, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, commixed, conglomerated, fused, incorporated, intermingled, intermixed, merged, mingled, composite, conglomerate, hybrid, unclassified, unsorted
    opposite: homogeneous
    near: monolithic, uniform, alike, identical, like, same, distinct, distinctive, individual, separate

  2. marked by a variety of usually vivid colors

    "a tropical bird with motley plumage"

    similar: chromatic, colored, colorful, kaleidoscopic, multicolored, multihued, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, varied, variegated, various
    related: iridescent, opalescent, brave, bright, brilliant, gay, vibrant, flashy, garish, gaudy, loud, showy, splashy, checkered, dotted, patterned, plaid, plaided, striped, dappled, marbled, mottled, parti-color, piebald, pied, pinto, flecked, specked, speckled, spotted, banded, barred, brindled, streaked, striated, bichrome, bicolored, dichromatic, trichromatic, tricolor, two-tone, two-toned
    opposite: colorless, monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored, solid
    near: achromatic, bleached, decolorized, faded, washed-out, dull, faint, gray, neutral, pale, pallid, unbrilliant

Motley (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks

    "the motleys with their colorful outfits"

    similar: fool, jester
    related: buffoon, clown, comedian, comedienne, comic, cutup, droll, harlequin, joker, jokester, madcap, merry-andrew, vice, wag, zany, mime, mummer

  2. an unorganized collection or mixture of various things

    "a motley of old junk stored in the attic"

    similar: agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, miscellany, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, scramble, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter
    related: detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries, accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration, catchall, admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up, bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast (chiefly British), mess, morass, shambles, imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Motley

The most common words with a similar meaning to Motley:

assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, patchwork, piebald, promiscuous, raggle-taggle, ragtag, varied, chromatic, colored, colorful, kaleidoscopic, multicolored, multihued, polychromatic, polychrome, prismatic, rainbow, varicolored, variegated, various, fool, jester, agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Motley

Words with the opposite meaning of Motley:

homogeneous, colorless, monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored, solid

Related Words for Motley

manifold, multifarious, multiple, multiplex, myriad, disparate, divergent, diverse, sundry, chaotic, cluttered, confused, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, farraginous, jumbled, littered, messed, messy, muddled, amalgamated, blended, combined, commingled, commixed, conglomerated, fused, incorporated

Near Antonyms of Motley

monolithic, uniform, alike, identical, like, same, distinct, distinctive, individual, separate, achromatic, bleached, decolorized, faded, washed-out, dull, faint, gray, neutral, pale, pallid, unbrilliant

Origin & Etymology of Motley

Middle English, perhaps from mot mote, speck

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Motley

motley crew

Frequently Asked Questions about Motley

What does "Motley" mean?

"Motley" means variegated in color. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: variegated in color. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Motley"?

Other words for "Motley" include assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous and mixed. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Motley" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Motley"?

There are 207 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Motley". Common alternatives include assorted, eclectic, heterogeneous, indiscriminate, kitchen-sink, magpie, miscellaneous, mixed, patchwork and piebald.

What is the opposite of "Motley"?

Antonyms of "Motley" include homogeneous, colorless, monochromatic, monochromic, monotone, self-colored and solid. Near antonyms include monolithic, uniform, alike and identical.

How do you use "Motley" in a sentence?

Examples of "Motley" in a sentence: "a ship with a motley crew of old salts, young adventurers, and shifty characters of all ages"; "a tropical bird with motley plumage"; "the motleys with their colorful outfits".

Is "Motley" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Motley" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Motley"?

"Motley" is pronounced /ˈmät-lē/ and divided into syllables as mot·ley.

What is the origin of the word "Motley"?

"Motley" comes from Middle English, perhaps from mot mote, speck. First known use: 14th century.