multifactorial

American  

[muhl-tee-fak-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-, muhl-tahy-] / ˌmʌl ti fækˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr-, ˌmʌl taɪ- /

adjective

1. having or stemming from a number of different causes or influences.

   Some medical researchers regard cancer as a multifactorial disease.

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multifactorial British  

/ ˌmʌltɪfækˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

1. genetics of or designating inheritance that depends on more than one gene

2. involving or including a number of elements or factors

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Other Word Forms

• multifactorially adverb

Etymology

Origin of multifactorial

First recorded in 1915–20; multi- + factor + -ial

Example Sentences

“Declines in San Francisco and other declines nationwide are probably multifactorial, and it’s hard to pinpoint one cause.”

From Salon

Research has led experts to unlock the multifactorial causes of obesity, including sociological and physiological determinants of health.

From Science Daily

Muscle strength is a multifactorial trait influenced by lifestyle and environmental factors but also by numerous genetic variants, each with a very small effect on muscle strength.

From Science Daily

“This could be a multifactorial presentation that we're seeing,” Lyons said.

From Science Magazine

“That just highlights the fact that autoimmunity is multifactorial, there's not a single cause or only a single way to get there,” Chang said.

From Salon