sundry

Meaning

Adj

1. More than one or two but not very many; a number of, several.
2. Of various types, especially when numerous; diverse, varied.
3. Consisting of an assortment of different kinds; miscellaneous.
4. (archaic) Chiefly preceded by a number or an adjective like many: of two or more similar people or things: not the same as other persons or things of the same nature; different, distinct, separate. (Contrast sense 5.2.)
5. (obsolete) Relating to a single person or thing as opposed to more than one; individual, respective.
6. (obsolete) Of a person or thing: not the same as something else; different. (Contrast sense 4.)
7. (obsolete) Not attached or connected to anything else; physically separate.

Noun

1. (in-plural) A minor miscellaneous item.
2. (in-plural) A minor miscellaneous item.
3. (Australia, in-plural) Synonym of extra (“a run scored without the ball having hit the striker's bat”).

Pron

Various people or things; several.

Adv

1. (Northern-England, Scotland, in-plural) Synonym of asunder (“into separate parts or pieces”).
2. (Northern-England, Scotland, archaic, in-plural) Placed separately; apart.
3. (Northern-England, Scotland, in-plural, obsolete) Individually, separately; sundrily.

Opposite of

heterogeneous

Synonyms

various

miscellaneous

diverse

several

mixed

assorted

motley

diversified

different

many

sundries

varied

varying

farraginous

paraphernal

whatsis

sundry expense

et cetera

few

🤏

manifold

multiform

numerous

random

some

stray

stuff

Translations

divers

verschiedene

çeşitli

misto

birtakım

sortido

surtido

verschieden

varios

allerlei

mixt

miscel·lani

assortit

mixto

διάφοροι

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈsʌndɹi/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sondri

Inherited from Old English: syndriġ

Cognate with Dutch: zonderlijk

Cognate with Dutch: afzonderlijk

Cognate with Low German: sunderig

Cognate with Middle High German: sunderig

Cognate with Swedish: söndrig

Inherited from Old English: syndrige

Cognate with Old High German: suntarīgo

In summary

The adjective is derived from Middle English sondri, sondry, syndry (“individually; occasionally; separately; variously”) [and other forms], from Old English syndriġ (“alone, distinct, separate, single; sundry, various; concerning a single person, own, particular, peculiar, private; exceptional, remarkable, set apart, special; (distributive) one each”) [and other forms], from sundor (“differently; privately; separate, separately”) (from Proto-Germanic *sundraz (“alone, isolated; separate”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *senH- (“apart; for oneself; without”)) + -iġ (“suffix forming adjectives”). The English word is analysable as sunder + -y.
The noun and pronoun are derived from the adjective.
Cognates
* Dutch zonderlijk (“separate”) (rare), Dutch afzonderlijk (“separate”)
* Low German sunderig (“single; special”)
* Middle High German sunderig (“private; separate; special”)
* Swedish söndrig (“broken; tattered”)