verb

diversify

dye-VUR-suh-fye/daɪˈvɜːrsɪfaɪ/

To make or become more varied.

The gardener diversifies the flower bed by adding blue and white flowering plants.

A gardener changes a single-color flower bed into a varied planting by adding blue and white flowering plants among established yellow flowers.

Etymology

diLatinaside, apart

+versLatinto turn

+ifyEnglishto make

Being turned in different directions came to mean being various in form or qualities. With the making ending, diversify expresses bringing about that variety, or becoming more varied.

In context

The Scottish Parliament16:52

hydropower stations a commercial fish farm and telecom station and yet this is considered by SNH to be wild land the income from these projects will encourage the estates to diversify their activities

Local Government and Communities Committee - 14 November 2018

More examples

We diversify our meals by trying recipes from different regions.
She diversifies her investments to avoid relying on one company.
As the business diversifies, it offers more than computer repairs.

Forms

diversify · diversifies · diversified · diversifying

diversity noun — The presence of many different types.

diversification noun — The process of introducing greater variety.

Similar words

vary: Vary emphasizes changing something, not necessarily adding more types.
broaden: Broaden emphasizes increasing range rather than increasing variety itself.