mélange
noun, plural mé·langes [mey-lahnzh, -lahn-jiz] /meɪˈlɑ̃ʒ, -ˈlɑn dʒɪz/.
Words nearby mélange
VOCAB BUILDER
What does mélange mean?
A mélange is a mixture or medley, especially of a wide range or variety of items.
It is sometimes spelled without the accent mark, as melange.
In geology, it is used in a more specific way to refer to a disordered mixture of rocks of different shapes, sizes, ages, and origins. Such a mixture occurs due to the movement of tectonic plates.
Another specific use of mélange refers to a type of fabric made with different colored threads.
Example: The documentary is a mélange of video clips, still photos, interviews, and animated sequences.
Where does mélange come from?
The first records of mélange in English come from around the mid-1600s. Mélange is borrowed directly from French and derives from the French verb mesler, meaning “to mix.” (The English word medley is derived from the same root.)
Mélange can be used in a variety of contexts. In many of them, it’s used in much the same way as the word assortment or the more informal mixed bag. In cooking, a mixture of ingredients might be described as a mélange, especially if they’re a bit random or unexpected. An artist may arrange or incorporate a mélange of different elements into a single work.
Sometimes, the word implies that the variety of things included makes the mixture a bit odd or even confused.
More specifically, mélange can refer to a type of fabric that’s made using different colors of thread to give it a textured or multitoned appearance. The term can also refer to a type of multicolored yarn.
The geological sense of mélange refers to a rock formation that includes a jumbled mixture of rocks. These happen when the edge of one plate gets forced beneath the edge of another, causing a mash-up of different rock strata. Such mélanges can be found along the western coast of South America.
In popular culture, the mysterious substance known as “the spice” in Frank Herbert’s Dune series is also called “melange.”
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What are some other forms related to mélange?
- mélanges (plural)
What are some synonyms for mélange?
What are some words that share a root or word element with mélange?
What are some words that often get used in discussing mélange?
How is mélange used in real life?
Why say mixture when you can say mélange? Mélange is used in all kinds of contexts, but it often shows up in discussions of cooking, especially to refer to an assortment of ingredients.
A day of simple peasant food: tartines!
A mélange of leftovers’ luncheon; & a very simple starter tonight. Latter: garlic butter roasted 🍄; tomatoes slowly pan-roasted with wild garlic leaves & melted anchovies
Followed by just a cheese board…Mondays aren’t for grand cuisine pic.twitter.com/7rLI3AtBNB
— Ștefan Iaonco (@DeExilio) April 13, 2020
Lrt who would I have been if I had gotten the right diagnosis. Would I have this melange of depression and anxiety if I knew what I was working with?
— Wen Ning’s Nonbinary Dad (@ActualHetaTrash) December 31, 2017
"Are you emotionally affected by the news? What are some coping strategies you employ?" A question in our Reader Center Facebook group triggered a mélange of ideas for keeping news-related anxiety at bay. https://t.co/hv4JJFarjh
— NYT Reader Center (@readercenter) March 16, 2018
Try using mélange!
Is mélange used correctly in the following sentence?
The painter used a mélange of light, perspective, and color to achieve the desired effect.
Example sentences from the Web for melange
Melange, get into the carriage and examine the contents of the sword-case and all the little private recesses.
Forgotten Tales of Long Ago |E. V. LucasThis father seems to have made a sort of melange of some of the Pentateuchal ordinances.
When Were Our Gospels Written? |Charles BradlaughThe volumes are a melange of characters, anecdotes, and reflections.