multiple

American  

[muhl-tuh-puhl] / ˈmʌl tə pəl /

adjective

1. consisting of, having, or involving several or many individuals, parts, elements, relations, etc.; manifold.

2. Electricity.

   1. (of circuits) arranged in parallel.

   2. (of a circuit or circuits) having a number of points at which connection can be made.

3. Botany. (of a fruit) collective.

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noun

• multiples
  plural

1. Mathematics. a number that contains another number an integral number of times without a remainder.

   12 is a multiple of 3.

2. Electricity. a group of terminals arranged to make a circuit or group of circuits accessible at a number of points at any one of which connection can be made.

multiple British  

/ ˈmʌltɪpəl /

adjective

1. having or involving more than one part, individual, etc

   he had multiple injuries

2. electronics (of a circuit) having a number of conductors in parallel

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noun

1. the product of a given number or polynomial and any other one

   6 is a multiple of 2

2. telephony an electrical circuit accessible at a number of points to any one of which a connection can be made

3. short for multiple store

multiple Scientific  

/ mŭl′tə-pəl /

1. A number that may be divided by another number with no remainder. For example, 4, 10, and 32 are multiples of 2.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonmultiple
  adjective
• multiply
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• multiples
  plural

Etymology

Origin of multiple

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Late Latin multiplus “manifold”; see multi-

Explanation

When you're talking about more than one, you're talking about multiple things. A machine with many fixtures has multiple parts. A person that seems like two totally different people on different days might have multiple personalities. The word multiple comes from the Latin multiplus meaning "manifold." When something exists in multiple forms, it's manifold, or has many kinds. Think of a multiplex theater that can show multiple movies at once. Walk through a garden full of flowers and you'll see multiple kinds of blooms. A multiple is also a number that can be divided into another number without a remainder. Multiples of five, for example are ten, fifteen, twenty... — you get the picture.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

multiple multiples

"We know that no one system is foolproof," Nilsonne says, "which is why we have multiple lenses - it is crucial that the technology and human expertise work together."

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

During a recent busy week, I had my groceries and prescriptions delivered to my door; that errand would once have required multiple trips to the store.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

At multiple points, the motion refers to the comments as “locker room” talk.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

Researchers used multiple sampling techniques to determine which microorganisms lived inside Ötzi during his lifetime and which arrived after his death.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 7, 2026

But assuming one stayed dead, a proper burial included a fine coffin, multiple floral arrangements, and formal religious services.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

“With each look we would get excited about, we’d need to think, ‘Does it need multiples?

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

If instead this was done on revenue per World Cup 2026 match, Fifa makes multiples of the Premier League, perhaps more than three times as much.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The group now trades at its lowest multiples in years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Mid- and small-cap stocks, by contrast, have enjoyed both earnings growth and expanding multiples.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

Then you take away all the numbers that are multiples of 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and so on.

From "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon

Related Words

• different
• numerous
• various