noun
smorgasbord
SMAW-gas-bawd
noun
1
A buffet-style spread of many different dishes laid out for guests to help themselves.
"The hotel breakfast was a smorgasbord of pastries, cold meats, and cheeses."
"Every dish at the wedding smorgasbord looked more tempting than the last."
2
By extension, any wide-ranging mixture or selection of things.
"The festival offered a smorgasbord of music styles, from jazz to punk."
How to Use Smorgasbord
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA big spread of food to pick and choose from, or loosely, any large variety of options.
Common pairings
a smorgasbord of options
a lavish smorgasbord
Word Forms
smorgasbords plural
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The hotel breakfast was a _____ of pastries, cold meats, and cheeses.
Etymology
From Swedish smörgåsbord, literally "sandwich table" — smörgås ("sandwich" or "buttered bread") plus bord ("table").