assortment etymology

Etymology

The word "assortment" derives from the Middle English term "asorten," which is a combination of the prefix "a-" (meaning "to") and the Old French word "sorte" (meaning "lot").

Meaning

An assortment is a collection of different items or types that are grouped together. It typically refers to a variety of things that are considered to be related in some way, such as a selection of products, goods, or items.

Origin

The use of the term "assortment" to describe a collection of items can be traced back to the 15th century. During this time, it was commonly used in commercial contexts to refer to a group of goods that were sold together as a unit.

Over time, the meaning of "assortment" expanded to encompass a wider range of collections. It began to be used to describe any group of items that were considered to be diverse or varied.

Usage

Today, the word "assortment" is widely used in both formal and informal contexts to refer to a variety of different collections. It can be used to describe a range of products in a store, a selection of items in a gift basket, or a collection of objects of interest.

Here are some examples of how "assortment" is used:

  • The store offers a wide assortment of high-quality products.
  • The gardener received an assortment of flowers and plants for her birthday.
  • The museum's collection includes an assortment of ancient artifacts from various cultures.

assortment relate terms

  • assort

    Etymology From Middle French assortir from Old French asortir from Vulgar Latin adsur

  • assorted

    Assorted Etymology Meaning and Origin Etymology Assorted Middle English assortid

  • amazement

    Etymology of Amazement The word amazement has its roots in Old French derived from t

  • betterment

    Etymology The word betterment is derived from the Old English betrian meaning to ma

  • merriment

    Etymology Middle English mirthe from Old English myrþ Cognates with other Germanic la

  • miscellany

    Etymology Latin miscellaneus mixed various From miscere to mix aneus pe

  • variety

    Etymology The word variety comes from the Old English variete derived from the Latin

  • salmagundi

    Etymology of Salmagundi The word salmagundi has a complex etymology with roots in se

  • mixed

    Etymology The word mixed is derived from the Latin word miscere which means to mix

  • range

    Etymology The word range originates from the Old French word reng which means row o

  • anger

    Etymology Old English anger noun and verb derived from the Proto Germanic root an

  • accumulation

    Etymology Latin accumulare meaning to heap up pile up amass Variant of acervus

  • collection

    Etymology The word collection originates from the Latin word colligere meaning to g

  • smorgasbord

    Etymology The word smorgasbord comes from the Swedish words smör butter and gåsb

  • gallimaufry

    Etymology The word gallimaufry originated from the Old French word gallimafrée whi