miscellany
/mɪˈseləni/ (bre, ipa) · [mˈɪsəlˌeni] /ˈmɪsəleɪni/ (ame, ipa) · [mˈɪsəlˌeni] /ˈmi-sə-ˌlā-nē How to pronounce miscellany (audio) chiefly British mi-ˈse-lə-nē/ (ame, mw)
miscellany — noun
- miscellanysingular
- miscellaniesplural
1. a group of unrelated items, ideas, or pieces that have been gathered together in
a group of unrelated items, ideas, or pieces that have been gathered together in one place
The attic box held a miscellany of medals, train tickets, and dried flowers.
a miscellany of + mixed objects
After the move, Indra found a miscellany of cables, screws, and receipts in one bag.
The appendix includes a miscellany of brief notes from local historians.
On the kitchen shelf sat a miscellany of jars, coupons, and spare keys.
- collection
more neutral and does not suggest such a random mix
- assortment
commoner in shops or commercial contexts
- mixture
stresses things being combined, sometimes physically
文法句型
a miscellany of [plural noun]
miscellany of objects / notes / items
用法筆記
Usually appears in writing rather than casual speech and is commonly followed by 'of' plus a plural noun. Distinguish this sense from sense 2 by the lack of book context: this one is any mixed set, not a published volume.
常見錯誤
2. a book that gathers short writings on several topics, or pieces by several autho
a book that gathers short writings on several topics, or pieces by several authors, into a single volume
Our teacher assigned a miscellany of war poems and diary entries this term.
a miscellany of + literary pieces
Asha published a miscellany of travel sketches, letters, and short essays.
The museum shop sells a children's miscellany filled with stories, songs, and riddles.
In the archive, Liam discovered a Victorian miscellany bound in cracked green leather.
- anthology
more common for a deliberately selected literary collection
- compilation
broader and can include non-literary material
- collection
plain everyday term without the literary tone
文法句型
a miscellany of essays / poems / letters
publish / read / discover a miscellany
用法筆記
Used for an actual book or volume. References to authors, readers, essays, or poems usually signal this sense rather than sense 1, which is broader and not limited to published writing.