Variety Is the Spice of Life, and a Kind of Show
Variety is the quality of being varied, and a type of theatrical entertainment. The proverb comes from an eighteenth-century poem.
Variety is the state of being varied, and also a particular type or kind. The proverb everyone quotes has an author: William Cowper wrote *variety's the very spice of life* in 1785. British theatre used the word for shows made of unconnected acts, and the American equivalent was vaudeville.
- The quality of being varied. *A variety of options.*
- A type or kind. *A hardy variety of apple.*
- A theatrical show of mixed acts. *Variety theatre.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | variety | Endless variety. |
| Plural | varieties | Several varieties. |
| Adjective | various | Various reasons. |
| Verb | vary | Prices vary. |
| Noun | variation | Slight variation. |
How it is used in a sentence
- A variety of reasons were given.A variety of usually takes a plural verb.
- This variety ripens early.Horticulture.
- Variety is the spice of life.From Cowper's poem The Task.
Variety in biology
- Species — the basic unit of classification
- Subspecies — a geographically distinct population
- Variety — a naturally occurring variant within a species
- Cultivar — a variety produced by cultivation
- Hybrid — a cross between two different varieties or species
From Latin *varietas*, difference or diversity, from *varius*, changing or spotted. The theatrical sense dates from the nineteenth century.
A variety of is or are?
Usually are, because attention falls on the plural noun following: a variety of options are available.
Variety or cultivar?
A variety occurs naturally within a species. A cultivar is selected and maintained by cultivation, and its name is given in quotes.