Smorgasbord
Etymology
From Swedish smörgåsbord, “sandwich table,” from smörgås (“open sandwich, buttered bread”) plus bord (“table”). Charmingly, smörgås itself breaks down into smör (“butter”) plus gås (“goose”) — the “goose” being the lumps of butter that bob to the surface during churning.
noun · /SMOR-gus-bord/
A wide, varied spread of dishes; loosely, any rich and varied assortment.
What it names
Abundant variety laid out at once — the groaning buffet table, or figuratively any generous mix of options.
Example
The conference offered a smorgasbord of talks, from tax law to deep-sea photography.
Related idea
A buffet is any self-serve spread; smorgasbord leans into sheer variety, and is often used figuratively for a rich assortment.