vărĭĕtas, ātis, f. [varius],
I difference , diversity , variety (class.; used alike in sing. and plur.): varietas Latinum verbum est, idque proprie quidem in disparibus coloribus dicitur: sed transfertur in multa disparia: varium poëma, varia oratio, varii mores, varia fortuna; voluptas etiam varia dici solet, cum percipitur ex multis dissimilibus rebus dissimiliter efficientibus voluptates, Cic. Fin. 2, 3, 10: florum omnium, id. Sen. 15, 54: Asia varietate fructuum facile omnibus terris antecedit, id. Imp. Pomp. 6, 14: ut in corporibus magnae dissimilitudines sunt, sic in animis exsistunt majores etiam varietates, id. Off. 1, 30, 107; cf. id. Div. 2, 44, 92: varietates vocum, id. ib. 2, 3, 9: caeli, id. ib. 1, 36, 79: rerum publicarum, id. Rep. 3, 3, 4: bellum in multā varietate terrā marique versatum, i. e. changes , vicissitudes , id. Arch. 9, 21: (Timaeus) sententiarum varietate abundantissimus, id. de Or. 2, 14, 58: esse in varietate ac dissensione, variety of opinion , id. N. D. 1, 1, 2: voluntatis, difference of wish , id. Att. 1, 17, 1: utilitatis varietates, id. Rep. 1, 32, 49: nec varietatem natura patitur, id. ib. 3, 11, 18: extimescens varietatem atque infidelitatem exercitūs, changeableness , fickleness , inconstancy , Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 18, 2: ad varietates annonae horreum fore, vicissitudes , Liv. 7, 31, 1: figurarum, Quint. 10, 2, 1: juris, id. 3, 6, 90: nullum exspirantem versicolori quādam et numerosā varietate spectari proceres gulae narrant, Plin. 9, 17, 30, § 66: cum videamus tot varietates circumagi, fluctuations of fortune , Plin. Ep. 4, 24, 6.—
II Transf., varied clothing , colored attire : circumamictā varietate, Aug. Civ. Dei, 17, 16, 2: circumamicta varietatibus, Vulg. Psa. 44, 15.