# motley crew

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌmɒtli ˈkɹuː/

## Definitions
1. A group of people of mixed background, especially one with a common goal.

## Etymology
From motley + crew. Originally used to refer to the crews of 17th- and 18th-century ships, which contained men of many different nationalities.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/motley-crew