multiply

¹

[ muhl-tuh-plahy ]

verb (used with object)

, mul·ti·plied, mul·ti·ply·ing.

1. to make many or manifold; increase the number, quantity, etc., of.
2. Arithmetic. to find the product of by multiplication.
3. to breed (animals).
4. to propagate (plants).
5. to increase by procreation.

verb (used without object)

, mul·ti·plied, mul·ti·ply·ing.

1. to grow in number, quantity, etc.; increase.

   Synonyms: mushroom, grow, proliferate

2. Arithmetic. to perform the process of multiplication.
3. to increase in number by procreation or natural generation.

multiply

²

[ muhl-tuh-plee ]

adverb

1. in several or many ways; in a multiple manner; manifoldly.

multiply

/ ˈmʌltɪˌplaɪ /

verb

1. to increase or cause to increase in number, quantity, or degree
2. tr to combine (two numbers or quantities) by multiplication
3. intr to increase in number by reproduction

multiply

/ mŭl′tə-plī′ /

1. To perform multiplication on a pair of quantities.

Derived Forms

• ˈmultiˌpliable, adjective

Other Words From

• self-multi·plied adjective
• self-multi·plying adjective
• un·multi·plied adjective
• un·multi·plying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of multiply¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English multiplien, from Old French multiplier, from Latin multiplicāre; multi-, ply ²

Origin of multiply²

First recorded in 1880–85; multiple + -ly

Word History and Origins

Origin of multiply¹

C13: from Old French multiplier, from Latin multiplicāre to multiply, from multus much, many + plicāre to fold

Example Sentences

You might have heard that to get a dog’s “biological” age, just multiply its age in years by seven.

From Science News For Students

When given food, even the most ancient microbes revived themselves and multiplied, researchers report July 28 in Nature Communications.

From Science News

Divide this number by the total number of people asked and multiply it by 100 to get a percentage score.

From Search Engine Watch

For pensions to work, money paid by governments and employees is invested, and the stock market multiplies the dollars to pay for pension checks guaranteed to workers in retirement.

From Voice of San Diego

As humans clear swaths of forest for agriculture or roads, forest edges multiply, increasing spillover risk from once-isolated wildlife to humans and livestock.

From Science News

Idiocies multiply in direct proportion to the accumulating legal rigidities.

From The Daily Beast

A flamboyant, multi-titled, multiply married royal to remember, the Duchess of Alba died Thursday at the age of 88.

From The Daily Beast

Multiply that number by 365 and you get more than 30,000 families who suffer from gun violence over the course of a year.

From The Daily Beast

As the assemblies multiply and spread, the disparity between communities has thrown up a series of issues.

From The Daily Beast

And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

From The Daily Beast

And thou didst multiply riddles in parables: thy name went abroad to the islands far off, and thou wast beloved in thy peace.

From Project Gutenberg

And I will save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will call for corn, and will multiply it, and will lay no famine upon you.

From Project Gutenberg

It would be easy to multiply individual cases supporting the same general principles.

From Project Gutenberg

It was still summer, and the gnats had begun to multiply to a prodigious and alarming extent.

From Project Gutenberg

And he is still with them; hoping that they may multiply and replenish the earth, and spread Presbyterianism muchly.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accumulate
• augment
• boost
• breed
• build up
• enlarge
• expand
• generate
• heighten
• magnify
• proliferate
• propagate
• spread