Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Motley \Mot"ley\, a. [OE. mottelee, motle; cf. OF. mattel['e]
   clotted, curdled, OF, ciel mattonn['e] a mottled sky, mate,
   maton, curdled milk, Prov. G. matte curd. Cf. {Mottle}.]
   1. Variegated in color; consisting of different colors;
      dappled; party-colored; as, a motley coat.

   2. Wearing motley or party-colored clothing. See {Motley},
      n., 1. ``A motley fool.'' --Shak.

   3. Composed of different or various parts; heterogeneously
      made or mixed up; discordantly composite; as, motley
      style. --Byron.

Motley \Mot"ley\, n.
   1. A combination of distinct colors; esp., the party-colored
      cloth, or clothing, worn by the professional fool.
      --Chaucer. ``Motley 's the only wear.'' --Shak.

   2. Hence, a jester, a fool. [Obs.] --Shak.

   {Man of motley}, a fool. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.

Source : WordNet®

motley
     n 1: a collection containing a variety of sorts of things; "a
          great assortment of cars was on display"; "he had a
          variety of disorders"; "a veritable smorgasbord of
          religions" [syn: {assortment}, {mixture}, {mixed bag}, {miscellany},
           {miscellanea}, {variety}, {salmagundi}, {smorgasbord},
          {potpourri}]
     2: a garment made of motley (especially a court jester's
        costume)
     3: a multicolored woolen fabric woven of mixed threads in 14th
        to 17th century England
     v 1: make something more diverse and varied; "Vary the menu"
          [syn: {vary}, {variegate}]
     2: make motley; color with different colors [syn: {parti-color}]

motley
     adj 1: consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds
            (even to the point of incongruity); "an arrangement of
            assorted spring flowers"; "assorted sizes";
            "miscellaneous accessories"; "a mixed program of
            baroque and contemporary music"; "a motley crew";
            "sundry sciences commonly known as social"-
            I.A.Richards [syn: {assorted}, {miscellaneous}, {mixed},
             {sundry(a)}]
     2: having sections or patches colored differently and usually
        brightly; "a jester dressed in motley"; "the painted
        desert"; "a particolored dress"; "a piebald horse"; "pied
        daisies" [syn: {calico}, {multicolor}, {multicolour}, {multicolored},
         {multicoloured}, {painted}, {particolored}, {particoloured},
         {piebald}, {pied}, {varicolored}, {varicoloured}]