Definitions
01a mixture of things
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a collection or mixture of different things that are not usually found together.
n. a diverse assortment or heterogeneous mixture of miscellaneous elements.
“The shop sold a medley of old toys, books, and handmade clothes.”
“The buffet offered a medley of international flavours, ranging from spicy Thai curries to traditional French pastries.”
Synonyms
02music
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music
n. a series of different songs or tunes played one after another as a single piece of music.
n. a musical composition consisting of a series of songs or other musical pieces from various sources performed in sequence.
“The band played a medley of their greatest hits to end the concert.”
“The orchestra performed a sophisticated medley of themes from classic Hollywood films, seamlessly transitioning between different moods and tempos.”
Synonyms
03swimming
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. a race where swimmers use four different styles: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.
n. a competitive swimming event in which participants or teams perform four distinct strokes in a specific order.
“She won a gold medal in the 200-metre individual medley.”
“The relay team broke the national record for the 400-metre medley, showing incredible versatility across all four swimming disciplines.”
04combat
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a fight or battle between people.
n. a hand-to-hand fight, combat, or confused battle.
“The knights were lost in the medley of the great battle.”
“The historical chronicle describes a chaotic medley of soldiers and horses clashing in the narrow mountain pass.”
Real-World Examples
“Janet Jackson, 59, collected the icon award and showed why by performing a medley of her songs including Someone to Call My Lover and All for You.” 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/medley
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0