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Mélange got mixed into the melting pot of English back in the 1600s. It derives from the Middle French verb mesler, which means "to mix." "Mélange" is actually one of several French contributions to the English body of words for miscellaneous mixtures. "Pastiche" (meaning "a composition made up of selections of different works," or broadly, "a disorderly mixture, hodgepodge") is borrowed from French, and "medley" and "potpourri" have roots in French, too. There's also the lesser known "gallimaufry" (meaning "hodgepodge"), which comes from the Middle French galimafree (meaning "stew").
Synonyms
- agglomerate
- agglomeration
- alphabet soup
- assortment
- botch
- clutter
- collage
- crazy quilt
- farrago
- gallimaufry
- grab bag
- gumbo
- hash
- hodgepodge
- hotchpotch
- jambalaya
- jumble
- jungle
- litter
- macédoine
- medley
- menagerie
- miscellanea
- miscellany
- mishmash
- mixed bag
- montage
- motley
- muddle
- olio
- olla podrida
- omnium-gatherum
- pastiche
- patchwork
- patchwork quilt
- potpourri
- ragbag
- ragout
- rummage
- salad
- salmagundi
- scramble
- shuffle
- smorgasbord
- stew
- tumble
- variety
- welter
Examples of mélange in a Sentence
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2024
The Fenty mogul wore a sharp, double-breasted gray melange suit from Vivienne Westwood’s fall 2023 collection.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2024
Options are plentiful, from solid grey melange, navy, cream, and black to whimsical designs, like a half-moon print and holiday gift motifs.
—Laura Lajiness Kaupke, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024
This year’s slate of 21 documentaries from 24 countries at the Toronto International Film Festival (September 5 – 15) is a melange of newsy subjects, rising directors, and potential Oscar contenders.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2024
Neighboring Cape Breton Island (No. 2), meanwhile, is a fascinating cultural melange where Scottish, Acadian, and Mi’kmaw influences intermingle against a backdrop of picturesque coastal landscapes.
—Lila Harron Battis, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024
The plot can sometimes feel like a chaotic melange stretched too thin, but White, who wrote the Illumination avian charmer Migration, elevates the overall narrative by injecting doses of his perennial interest in the social codes of the rich.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 June 2024
Here, German-Danish designer Gesa Hansen has created a whimsical melange of texture: brick walls, leather banquettes, playful carpeting, abstract wallpaper, slender mid-century wood chairs, and mix-and-match tilework.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 6 July 2024
Even the aromas were on point, a subtly sweet melange of honeysuckle, sandalwood, and perhaps a touch of vanilla.
—Paul Jebara, Travel + Leisure, 25 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mélange.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mélange
Cite this Entry
“Mélange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/m%C3%A9lange. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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