spectrum
n. countablen. a wide range of different things, ideas, or opinions. It is often used to show how two very different things are connected by many small steps in between.
n. a broad range of varied but related ideas, objects, or qualities. Often used to describe a continuum between two extreme points.
The school offers a wide spectrum of classes.
Politicians from across the political spectrum agreed that the new law would help small businesses grow.
The research project aims to capture a broad spectrum of opinions by interviewing people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and age groups across the entire country.
From Latin spectrum (“appearance, image, apparition”), from speciō (“look at, view”). Doublet of specter. See also scope.
The plural form is either 'spectrums' or 'spectra', with 'spectra' being more common in scientific contexts.