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Having elements of great variety or incongruity; heterogeneous: "Most Ivy League freshman classes are chosen from a motley collection of constituencies . . . and a bare majority of entering students can honestly be called scholars” ( New York Times).
(adjective)
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Having many colors; variegated; parti-colored: a motley tunic.
(adjective)
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The parti-colored attire of a court jester.
(noun)
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A heterogeneous, often incongruous mixture of elements.
(noun)
American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.