multiply

¹ American  

[muhl-tuh-plahy] / ˈmʌl təˌplaɪ /

verb (used with object)

multiplied, multiplying

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.

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verb (used without object)

multiplied, multiplying

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 American  

[muhl-tuh-plee] / ˈmʌl tə pli /

adverb

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

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multiply British  

/ 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

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multiply Scientific  

/ mŭl′tə-plī′ /

1. To perform multiplication on a pair of quantities.

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Other Word Forms

• multipliable adjective
• self-multiplied adjective
• self-multiplying adjective
• unmultiplied adjective
• unmultiplying adjective

Etymology

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

Explanation

When you multiply two numbers, you increase the first by the same number that's specified by the second. In other words, when you multiply two by three, you add together three twos. When you're doing simple math problems, you can multiply by memorizing lists of times tables — or you can add one number as many times as the second number: four times two is the same as two fours, or eight. Another way to multiply is simply to increase or expand greatly: "If the diner starts serving homemade pie, their profits will multiply." The Latin root is multiplicare, "to increase," from multiplex, "having many folds."

Example Sentences

Continuing from State Route 58, we joined State Route 41, watched oak trees and vineyards pop up and multiply, continued into Paso Robles and spent the night.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

What’s more, Nasdaq will multiply that percentage float by three-times, in calculating the weight of a low-float addition to the index.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Trump's options may be about to multiply with the arrival of around 5,000 US Marines in the region, along with paratroopers from the US 82nd Airborne Division - but there are risks here, too.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

It was an intense and disorienting time if you were simply a fan of the music; multiply that by approximately a gigaton if you were anywhere adjacent.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

If we multiply by a hundred thousand our sense of loss for this work of Aristarchus, we begin to appreciate the grandeur of the achievement of classical civilization and the tragedy of its destruction.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

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