variety in WordNet English dictionary

1. a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
   "a great assortment of cars was on display"; "he had a variety of disorders"; "a veritable smorgasbord of religions"
   assortment  mixture  mixed bag  miscellany  miscellanea  variety  salmagundi  smorgasbord  potpourri  motley 
   
2. a difference that is usually pleasant
   "he goes to France for variety"; "it is a refreshing change to meet a woman mechanic"
   variety  change 
   
3. noticeable heterogeneity
   "a diversity of possibilities"; "the range and variety of his work is amazing"
   diverseness  diversity  multifariousness  variety 
   
4. a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
   "sculpture is a form of art"; "what kinds of desserts are there?"
   kind  sort  form  variety 
   
5. a show consisting of a series of short unrelated performances
   variety show  variety 
   
6. (biology) a taxonomic category consisting of members of a species that differ from others of the same species in minor but heritable characteristics
   "varieties are frequently recognized in botany"
   variety