potpourri

/ˈpoʊpəˌri/

/pəʊpəˈri/

Other forms: potpourris

The noun potpourri can refer to a mixture or collection of seemingly unrelated items, an unusual assortment. You may own a potpourri of books — from classic literature to trashy novels and from Shakespeare's plays to comic books.

The noun potpourri often refers to a scented mixture of spices and dried flowers that is usually kept in a decorative bowl or jar and used to perfume a room. What's interesting is that the name for this attractively fragrant mixture comes from the French phrase pot pourri, which literally means "rotten pot." The phrase was used to describe a stew. Clearly, some things translate better than others.

Definitions of potpourri

1. noun

   a collection containing a variety of sorts of things
   synonyms: assortment, medley, miscellanea, miscellany, mixed bag, mixture, motley, salmagundi, smorgasbord, variety

   types:

   grab bag

   an assortment of miscellaneous items

   witch's brew, witches' brew, witches' broth

   a fearsome mixture

   range

   a variety of different things or activities

   selection

   an assortment of things from which a choice can be made

   farrago, gallimaufry, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, melange, mingle-mangle, mishmash, oddments, odds and ends, omnium-gatherum, ragbag

   a motley assortment of things

   alphabet soup

   a confusing assortment

   sampler

   an assortment of various samples

   band

   a range of frequencies between two limits

   type of:

   accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, collection

   several things grouped together or considered as a whole
2. noun

   a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources
   synonyms: medley, pastiche

   type of:

   composition, musical composition, opus, piece, piece of music

   a musical work that has been created
3. noun

   a jar of mixed flower petals and spices used as perfume
   type of:

   essence, perfume

   a toiletry that emits and diffuses a fragrant odor