Words / C2

i-KLEKT-ik/ɪˈklektɪk/

Eclectic means drawn from a wide, mixed range of styles or sources — a considered mix, not a random jumble. Varied is everyday; diverse often stresses people or types. An eclectic taste or an eclectic method can praise range or hint at a lack of focus — context decides. In speech, a bit of everything or mixed is enough; it is not a synonym for weird.

Meaning

Choosing from a wide range of styles, ideas, or sources.

Examples

• “His playlist is eclectic: jazz, folk, and pop.”
• “Her reading list is eclectic: sonnets, manuals, and crime fiction.”
• “An eclectic playlist is a virtue in a café and a problem in an exam essay.”

Good to know

Drawn from many sources, on purpose. Everyday: varied / a mix. Not the same as random or merely odd.

Near in meaning

varied

New