multifarious

[muhl-tuh-fair-ee-uhs]

adjective

1. having many different parts, elements, forms, etc.

2. numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold.

   multifarious activities.

multifarious

/ ˌmʌltɪˈfɛərɪəs /

adjective

1. having many parts of great variety

Other Word Forms

• multifariously adverb
• multifariousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of multifarious¹

1585–95; < Late Latin multifārius many-sided, manifold, equivalent to Latin multifāri ( am ) on many sides + -us adj. suffix ( -ous ); multi-, bifarious

Word History and Origins

Origin of multifarious¹

C16: from Late Latin multifārius manifold, from Latin multifāriam on many sides

Example Sentences

Any concise description of “Purpose” is bound to fail because the play is so multifarious and complex.

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We exist in concentric realms, and our multifarious lives can only be lived.

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To capture Dylan in all his multifarious splendor, writer-director Todd Haynes cast six actors to portray different aspects of the songwriter’s protean genius.

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“Our pizza-dough journey was very stressful in the beginning,” Panyathong says, citing the multifarious factors of ingredients, time, temperature and humidity.

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Trump’s scandals are so multifarious that each one tends to get short shrift, while his opponents’ weaknesses and missteps can be examined at length precisely because there are fewer of them.

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