various
Syllabification: (var·i·ous)
Pronunciation: /ˈve(ə)rēəs/
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Definition of various
adjective
determiner & pronoun
Origin:
late Middle English: from Latin varius 'changing, diverse' + -ous
In standard English, the word various is normally used as an adjective. It is best reserved for contexts indicating variety, and should not be used as a synonym for several. In colloquial American speech, various is sometimes also used (as though it were a pronoun) followed by of, as in various of her friends had called —another way of saying some of or several of. This use is discouraged by some traditionalists, however, because various is properly an adjective, not a pronoun.