sundry

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds; ; ; ; ; ; - I.A.Richards

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English sondri, sondry, syndry (“individually; occasionally; separately; variously”) [and other forms], from Old English syndriġ (“alone, distinct, separate, single; sundry, various; concerning a single person, own, particular, peculiar, private; exceptional, remarkable, set apart, special; (distributive) one each”) [and other forms], from sundor (“differently; privately; separate, separately”) (from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, isolated; separate”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)) + -iġ (“suffix forming adjectives”). The English word is analysable as sunder + -y. The noun and pronoun are derived from the adjective. Cognates * Dutch zonderlijk (“separate”) (rare), Dutch afzonderlijk (“separate”) * Low German sunderig (“single; special”) * Middle High German sunderig (“private; separate; special”) * Swedish söndrig (“broken; tattered”)

In classic literature

Synonyms

assorted, miscellaneous, mixed, motley

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