myriad

"Myriad" means "ten thousand" in Ancient Greek, and "lots and lots" in modern English. It's one of those danger words. Use it well, and you make a good impression. Use it poorly, and you sound pretentious.

Treat it in the same way you would "thousand":

Right

• "a myriad eggplants" (a thousand eggplants)
• "myriads of aubergines" (thousands of aubergines)
• "myriad schnecken" (ten thousand schnecken)

Wrong

• "a myriad of zucchini" (a thousand of zucchini??)

Myr"i*ad (?), n. [Gr. , , fr. numberless, pl. ten thousand: cf. F. myriade.]

1.

The number of ten thousand; ten thousand persons or things.

2.

An immense number; a very great many; an indefinitely large number.

© Webster 1913.

Myr"i*ad, a.

Consisting of a very great, but indefinite, number; as, myriad stars.

© Webster 1913.