smorgasbord

noun

smor·​gas·​bord ˈsmȯr-gəs-ˌbȯrd How to pronounce smorgasbord (audio)
1
: a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
2
: an often large heterogeneous mixture : mélange

Did you know?

Although smorgasbord might make us think of a variety of foods, the Swedish word smörgås refers to a particular food item—an open sandwich or, alternatively, a slice of bread covered with butter—which is a staple of the traditional Swedish smorgasbord. (The word smör means "butter," and gås can mean "a lump of butter" as well as "goose.") Smörgås teamed up with the Swedish word bord, meaning "table" or "board," to form smorgasbord; the word first appeared in English in the later part of the 19th century. By the mid-20th century smorgasbord was being used outside of food-related contexts to refer to something that comprises a mixture or assemblage of different parts.

Examples of smorgasbord in a Sentence

every day the director has to first deal with a smorgasbord of problems before he can begin filming
Recent Examples on the Web As an arts community, Jerome offers a smorgasbord of styles and creative energy. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024 For skiers and snowboarders who dream of hitting a smorgasbord of mountains come wintertime, the Ikon Pass is like a passport to a kingdom of potential adventures. Brent Rose, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2024 The playoff dinner the night before that began with a pot of chili and ended up a smorgasbord. Kathryn Shattuck, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2024 So, a herd or cornucopia of slugs (as they are collectively called) can make a smorgasbord of your garden if not kept in check. Paul Richards, Field & Stream, 29 Feb. 2024 Wolfy treats and ‘stache cakes From KC Wolf cupcakes to red and gold cookie cakes, McLain’s sells a smorgasbord of sweets from its five locations across the Kansas City metro. Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2024 Regulatory Roulette Governments worldwide have floated or voted on AI regulations, creating a smorgasbord of rules. Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2024 Here was a veritable smorgasbord of fashion, and I was famished. Joy Montgomery, Vogue, 23 Jan. 2024 This former race track is now an athletic smorgasbord, with football, basketball, tennis and baseball facilities, not to mention fishing, a fitness course and an equestrian center, which hosts more than forty horse shows annually. Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smorgasbord.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Swedish smörgåsbord, from smörgås open sandwich + bord table

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of smorgasbord was in 1873

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Dictionary Entries Near smorgasbord

Cite this Entry

“Smorgasbord.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smorgasbord. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smorgasbord

noun
smor·​gas·​bord ˈsmȯr-gəs-ˌbō(ə)rd How to pronounce smorgasbord (audio)
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a self-service luncheon or supper offering a large variety of foods and dishes
Etymology

from Swedish smörgåsbord "a buffet meal," from smörgås "open sandwich" and bord "table"

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