Meanings
plural variorums · plural variora
- 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 51 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
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinvariōrum
- Englishvariorum
From Latin variōrum, genitive plural masculine of varius (“various”), in the phrase editio cum notis variorum (“edition with various notes”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
variorum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum
“variorum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “variorum,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/variorum.
Source: variorum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.