variorum

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/vɛːɹɪˈɔːɹəm/

noun

An edition of a written work (especially the complete works of a classical writer) showing the notes and readings of a variety of different editors or commentators.

Similar
variorum edition
RareScrabble 13

Meanings

nounvariorum (plural variorums or variora)

plural variorums · plural variora

  1. An edition of a written work (especially the complete works of a classical writer) showing the notes and readings of a variety of different editors or commentators.

    Johnson set out to produce a variorum, compiling and summarising the history of Shakespearean emendation and annotation

    2007, Michael Dobson, “For his Nose was as sharpe as a Pen”, in London Review of Books, volume 29, number 9, page 5
    1 more example

    The walls of the narrow hallway are covered with paintings, including several by William Burroughs, made during Burroughs's London phase, when Miles took on archival duties and compiled a bibliography of his work; he has also edited a variorum edition of Allen Ginsberg's Howl.

    2010 March 20, James Campbell, “Barry Miles: 'I think of the 60s as a supermarket of ideas. We were looking for new ways to live'”, in The Guardian

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan edition containing various versions of a text or notes by various scholars or editors

Similar
variorum edition
Broader

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinvariōrum
  2. Englishvariorum

From Latin variōrum, genitive plural masculine of varius (“various”), in the phrase editio cum notis variorum (“edition with various notes”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

variorum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum

MLA

“variorum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “variorum,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum.

Source: variorum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.