Origin: Latin suffix -ous
Various has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
considered individually
"the respective club members"
"specialists in their several fields"
"the various reports all agreed"
Having a broad range (of different elements).
"The chef prepared various sauces to accompany each of the dishes on the menu."
In plain English: Various means different kinds of things that are not all the same.
"The restaurant offers various dishes to suit every taste."
Usage: Use various to describe multiple items of differing kinds within a single group, such as various flavors in one box. It is often interchangeable with diverse when emphasizing distinct differences rather than just quantity.
More than one (of an indeterminate set of things).
"The chef added various spices to the stew, including cumin, coriander, and a pinch of cardamom."
The word "various" comes from the Middle French varieux, which was borrowed from the Latin varius meaning manifold or diverse. It entered English with this same sense of being different or varied in nature.