assortment
B2Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
A collection of different types of things; a varied mixture.
The action of arranging or classifying items into groups; a selection of goods available for sale.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies variety within a collection, not just a random grouping. Often suggests a deliberate selection or arrangement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more common in commercial/retail contexts in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
an assortment of + [plural noun]a + [adjective] + assortment of + [plural noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “assortment of odds and ends”
- “assortment of bits and bobs”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the range of products a company offers or stocks.
Academic
Used in statistics, biology (genetics), and sociology to describe groupings.
Everyday
Describing a mixed collection of items, like snacks or gifts.
Technical
In genetics, refers to the independent segregation of chromosomes during meiosis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The librarian will assort the new books by genre.
- The data was assorted into relevant categories.
American English
- The manager asked us to assort the products by size.
- The files are assorted alphabetically.
adverb
British English
- The items were arranged assortedly on the shelf.
- The chocolates are packed assortedly in the box.
American English
- The beads were strung assortedly to create a pattern.
- The flowers were planted assortedly in the garden.
adjective
British English
- We offer an assorted biscuit selection.
- The box contained assorted screws and nails.
American English
- She bought a bag of assorted candy.
- The toolkit came with assorted wrenches.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The shop has an assortment of sweets.
- She gave me an assortment of coloured pencils.
- The hotel breakfast included a large assortment of fruits and pastries.
- We need an assortment of tools to fix this.
- The museum's gift shop offers a fascinating assortment of books and replicas.
- His speech contained an odd assortment of facts and personal anecdotes.
- The new policy resulted in a curious assortment of allies and opponents.
- Genetic assortment during meiosis ensures offspring variation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SORTed collection with VARIety = aSORTment.
Conceptual Metaphor
VARIETY IS A MIXED CONTAINER (e.g., 'a box of assorted chocolates').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'ассортимент' when referring to non-commercial collections. In Russian, 'ассортимент' is strongly tied to goods for sale, while English 'assortment' is broader.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'assortment' for a single type of item (e.g., 'an assortment of apples' – better: 'a variety of apples'). Overusing in place of simpler words like 'mix' or 'selection'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'assortment' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a countable noun. You can have 'an assortment' or 'several assortments'.
'Assortment' emphasises a collected group of different items, often physically grouped. 'Variety' focuses more on the state of being different or diverse within a category.
Yes, but it is less common and can sound slightly impersonal or humorous (e.g., 'a strange assortment of characters').
The verb is 'to assort', meaning to classify or arrange into groups. It is formal and less common than the noun.
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