Smorgasbord
[SMOR-ɡəs-bord]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Swedish, 19th century
1.
A buffet offering a variety of hot and cold meats, salads, hors d'oeuvres, etc.
2.
A wide range of something; a variety.
Examples of Smorgasbord in a sentence
"The hungry travelers were delighted to discover their hosts had prepared a smorgasbord of meats, cheeses, breads, and spreads."
"Tanni’s vinyl collection was a smorgasbord of musical styles that reflected her varied tastes and moods."
About Smorgasbord
The term is taken directly from the Swedish “smörgåsbord,” formed by combining “smörgås” (“bread and butter”) and “bord,” meaning “table.”
Did you Know?
English speakers rarely use “smorgasbord” to describe a table stocked with different foods. Instead, this term is mostly figurative, to describe a variety of things in one place. While a Swedish restaurant might offer a literal smorgasbord of pickled herring, ham, meatballs, and mashed potatoes, a health spa might equally be said to offer a smorgasbord of steam rooms and dry saunas, whirlpools, ice baths, and massage rooms.
