multiplicity

[muhl-tuh-plis-i-tee]

noun

plural

multiplicities 

1. a large number or variety.

   a multiplicity of errors.

2. the state of being multiplex or manifold; manifold variety.

multiplicity

/ ˌmʌltɪˈplɪsɪtɪ /

noun

1. a large number or great variety

2. the state of being multiple

3. physics

   1. the number of levels into which the energy of an atom, molecule, or nucleus splits as a result of coupling between orbital angular momentum and spin angular momentum

   2. the number of elementary particles in a multiplet

Word History and Origins

Origin of multiplicity¹

1580–90; < Late Latin multiplicitās, equivalent to multiplic- (stem of multiplex ) multiplex + -itās -ity

Example Sentences

The cast of characters is drawn with an eye to multiplicity.

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I tell Yamaguchi that next time she needs a bigger show, one that has all her works side by side, to showcase her multiplicity.

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Nowadays, with the film business contracting around blockbusters, the little pictures, the B pictures and the silly pictures have deserted the theaters for television which, in its streaming multiplicity, has room to absorb them.

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Still, the neurotypical viewer might wonder how accurately the series portrays neurodivergence, and indeed, within the community, which is nothing like homogeneous, one finds a multiplicity of views.

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It responded that there are a multiplicity of separatist fighters now operating in the anglophone region.

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Related Words

• jumble 
• profusion 

When To Use

What does multiplicity mean?

Multiplicity most commonly means a large number or a great variety.It is the noun form of the adjective multiple, meaning more than one or several. It can also mean the state of being multiple.Multiplicity is used in more specific ways in several different scientific fields, but all of them have to do with multiple instances of things.Example: When designing a craft for space travel, you have to consider a multiplicity of issues.