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motley

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mot⋅ley

  [mot-lee] adjective, noun, plural -leys.
Use motley in a Sentence
–adjective
1. exhibiting great diversity of elements; heterogeneous: a motley crowd.
2. being of different colors combined; parti-colored: a motley flower border.
3. wearing a parti-colored garment: a motley fool.
–noun
4. a combination of different colors.
5. a parti-colored effect.
6. the parti-colored garment of a jester.
7. a heterogeneous assemblage.
8. a medley.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME; see mote 1 , -ly

Synonyms:
1. varied, mixed, incongruous.

Mot⋅ley

  [mot-lee]
–noun
John Lo⋅throp  [loh-thruhp] , 1814–77, U.S. historian and diplomat.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To motley
mot·ley   (mŏt'lē)   
adj.  
  1. 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).
  2. Having many colors; variegated; parti-colored: a motley tunic.
n.   pl. mot·leys
  1. The parti-colored attire of a court jester.
  2. A heterogeneous, often incongruous mixture of elements.

[Middle English motlei, variegated cloth, variegated, probably from Anglo-Norman, probably from Middle English mot, speck; see mote1.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Motley

Mot"ley\, a. [OE. mottelee, motle; cf. OF. mattel['e] clotted, curdled, OF, ciel mattonn['e] a mottled sky, mate, maton, curdled milk, Prov. G. matte curd. Cf. Mottle.]

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.

Motley

Mot"ley\, n. 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.

Man of motley, a fool. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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motley 
c.1386, from Anglo-Fr. motteley, probably from O.E. mot "speck" (see mote). "Diversified in color," especially of a fool's dress. Hence, allusively, "a fool" (1600).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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