What does "medley" mean?
Combat, fighting; a battle.
Medley
name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·2 syllables ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Combat, fighting; a battle.
- Grammar: medley is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: mashup, potpourri, agglomeration, all sorts.
- Useful contrasts: homogeneity, single piece, single song.
- Usage evidence: He sang a medley of Simon and Garfunkel hits.
How to use "medley"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "medley" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "medley" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "medley" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "medley" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "medley" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "mashup" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "medley", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Combat, fighting; a battle. archaic
"Thenne came the kyng of Irland and the kynge of the stryete marches to rescowe syre Tristram and sire Palomydes / There beganne a grete medle / & many knyghtes were smyten doune on bothe partyes / and alweyes sir launcelot spared sir Tristram / and he spared hym"
- 2 a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources wordnet
- 3 A collection or mixture of miscellaneous things.
"a fruit medley"
- 4 A collection of related songs played or mixed together as a single piece.
"They played a medley of favorite folk songs as an encore."
- 5 A competitive swimming event that combines the four strokes of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A cloth of mixed colours.
"Otherwise , as our Saviour noteth , when the old Cloth was joyned to the new , it made no good medley , but the Rent was made the wors"
Verb
- 1 To combine, to form a medley.
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname. countable, uncountable
- 2 A place name:; A town in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. countable, uncountable
- 3 A place name:; An unincorporated community in Grant County, West Virginia, United States. countable, uncountable
- 4 A place name:; A community in the city of Cold Lake, Municipal District of Bonnyville, Alberta, Canada. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"He sang a medley of Simon and Garfunkel hits."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "medley"?
Common synonyms include: mashup, potpourri, agglomeration, all sorts, amalgamated, ambiguous.
How do you use "medley" in a sentence?
He sang a medley of Simon and Garfunkel hits.
Etymology
From Middle English medle, from Anglo-Norman medlee, Old French medlee, from the feminine past participle of early Medieval Latin misculō (“to mix”). Compare meddle. Doublet of melee.