What does miscellany mean?
Word: Miscellany
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Miscellany means a varied collection of different things, such as writings or objects, put together.
Synonyms: medley
How do you spell miscellany?
Syllables: mis - cel - la - ny
Tricky part: The s sound in the middle is the trap. It is written sc, and pupils who go by ear leave the c out.
Watch out for: misellany, mishellany, misselany
Memory tip: Science and scissors hide a quiet c after the s; give miscellany the same quiet c.
Miscellany in a sentence
Example 1: Grandpa's trunk held a miscellany of stamps, coins and old train tickets.
Example 2: The anthology is a lively miscellany of folk tales from around the world.
Example 3: Our class display became a miscellany of leaf prints, models and handmade maps.
Fun Fact
Songes and Sonettes, printed in 1557 and better known as Tottel's Miscellany, is usually described as the first printed anthology of English poetry.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
misc_ll_n_
a) e,a,y
b) e,a,i
c) a,e,y
d) e,e,y
Show answer
a) e,a,y. Compare the closing sound with many, and the middle with the opening of cell.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled word in the sentence hides a real word. Choose it:
The little shop by the station sold a lcyneamsil of old toys, buttons and postcards.
a) mischievous
b) miscellany
c) misleading
d) miscellaneous
Show answer
b) miscellany. Ten letters with an a, a y and just one s make only one of these words.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word miscellany as used in the sentence:
The school magazine printed a miscellany of poems, riddles, recipes and travel notes.
a) assortment
b) ranking
c) shortage
d) summary
Show answer
a) assortment. A magazine with many kinds of writing offers an assortment of them.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose what it means.
1. miscellany 2. exilarate 3. symetry 4. flourescent
a) to fill someone with joy and excitement
b) the exact matching of two halves
c) very bright and seeming to glow in the light
d) an assembly of unrelated bits and pieces
Show answer
d) an assembly of unrelated bits and pieces. Fluorescent, exhilarate and symmetry each have a letter wrong or missing here.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which book would most likely be titled A Miscellany?
a) one holding essays, puzzles and rhymes
b) one teaching only long division
c) one telling a single long adventure
d) one listing every train in Kerala
Show answer
a) one holding essays, puzzles and rhymes
2. A reviewer calls a new album 'a pleasant miscellany'. What does she mean?
a) Its songs are all by one child
b) Its songs last only a minute
c) Its songs differ widely in style
d) Its songs tell one long story
Show answer
c) Its songs differ widely in style
