many

[ men-ee ]
/ ˈmɛn i /

adjective, more, most.

constituting or forming a large number; numerous: many people.
noting each one of a large number (usually followed by a or an): For many a day it rained.

noun

a large or considerable number of persons or things: A good many of the beggars were blind.
the many, the greater part of humankind.

pronoun

many persons or things: Many of the beggars were blind. Many were unable to attend.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?
Question 1 of 10
decorum
the act of or need for making up one's mind.
dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.
a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.
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Origin of many

before 900; Middle English mani, meni, Old English manig, menig; akin to Old Saxon, Old High German manag, menig, Danish mange, Gothic manags

SYNONYMS FOR many

1 multifarious, multitudinous, myriad; divers, sundry, various. Many, innumerable, manifold, numerous imply the presence or succession of a large number of units. Many is a popular and common word for this idea: many times. Numerous, a more formal word, refers to a great number or to very many units: letters too numerous to mention. Innumerable denotes a number that is beyond count or, more loosely, that is extremely difficult to count: the innumerable stars in the sky. Manifold implies not only that the number is large but also that there is variety or complexity.

ANTONYMS FOR many

1 few, single.

OTHER WORDS FROM many

o·ver·man·y, adjective

Words nearby many

manwise, manx, manx cat, manx shearwater, manxman, many, many a, many are called but few are chosen, many hands make light work, many happy returns, many is the
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for many a

many
/ (ˈmɛnɪ) /

determiner

(sometimes preceded by a great or a good)
  1. a large number ofmany coaches; many times
  2. (as pronoun; functioning as plural)many are seated already
(foll by a, an, or another, and a singular noun) each of a considerable number ofmany a man
(preceded by as, too, that, etc)
  1. a great number ofas many apples as you like; too many clouds to see
  2. (as pronoun; functioning as plural)I have as many as you

noun

the many the majority of mankind, esp the common peoplethe many are kept in ignorance while the few prosper Compare few (def. 7)
See also more, most

Word Origin for many

Old English manig; related to Old Frisian manich, Middle Dutch menech, Old High German manag
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with many a (1 of 2)

many a

Numerous ones, as in Many a little boy has wanted to become a fireman. This adjective is always used with a singular noun, a usage dating from about 1200. Also see many is the.

Idioms and Phrases with many a (2 of 2)

many
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.