pestrý

Pestrý is a Czech adjective meaning colorful, variegated, or diverse. It is used to describe things that display a wide range of colors or a broad mix of characteristics, such as a painting, a menu, a program, or a landscape. The term conveys richness and variety and is typically neutral to positive in tone, though in some contexts it can imply gaudiness if overemphasized.

Morphology and etymology: pestrý has feminine pestrá and neuter pestré. In the plural, masculine animate is pestrí, while pestré is used for neuter and feminine forms in certain grammatical contexts. The related noun pestrost (variety, diversity) derives from the same root and is commonly used in phrases discussing the breadth of options or features.

Usage and nuance: Pestrý is versatile and can describe both visual and non-visual variety. Common collocations include pestrý program (a program with many acts), pestrý svět (a diverse world), pestrý jídelníček (a varied menu), and pestrá paleta barev (a varied color palette). In translation, it is often rendered as colorful, varied, or diverse. The word usually carries a positive or neutral connotation, highlighting richness and multiplicity; in excessive or superficial use it can suggest superficial gaudiness.

See also: pestrost, variety and diversity in Czech semantics; related adjectives such as barevný (colorful) and různorodý (diverse).