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• multi
  multi

  noun

  a pattern of several colors or hues, usually in stripes.
• multi-
  multi-

  a combining form meaning “many,” “much,” “multiple,” “many times,” “more than one,” “more than two,” “composed of many like parts,” “in many respects,” used in the formation of compound words.
• multi–
  multi–

  A prefix that means “many” or “much,” as in multicellular, having many cells.

multi

¹ American  

[muhl-tee, -tahy] / ˈmʌl ti, -taɪ /

noun

multis plural

1. a pattern of several colors or hues, usually in stripes.

   This dress comes in pink or green multi.

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adjective

1. multicolored.

multi- ² American  

1. a combining form meaning “many,” “much,” “multiple,” “many times,” “more than one,” “more than two,” “composed of many like parts,” “in many respects,” used in the formation of compound words.

   multiply; multivitamin.

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multi- British  

combining form

1. many or much

   multiflorous

   multimillion

2. more than one

   multiparous

   multistorey

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multi– Scientific  

1. A prefix that means “many” or “much,” as in multicellular, having many cells.

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Usage

What does multi- mean? Multi- is a combining form used like a prefix with a variety of meanings, including “many; much; multiple.” It is often used in scientific and technical terms. Multi- comes from Latin multus, meaning “much” and “many.” The Greek equivalent of multus is polýs, also meaning both “much” and “many,” which is the source of the combining form poly-. To learn more, check out our Words That Use article about poly-. What are variants of multi-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, multi- becomes mult-, as in multangular, from Latin multangulus. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about mult-.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• multis
  plural

Etymology

Origin of multi¹

By shortening of multicolor or multicolored

Origin of multi-²

Middle English < Latin, combining form of multus much, many

Example Sentences

“In an eventual post-crisis world, a multi- polar environment lends itself to a much more gold-positive one. Additionally, many of the undercurrents that drove gold prices higher remain intact, albeit on pause,” he added.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Mid-cap funds also received $153 million, but multi- and small-cap funds saw net selling worth $1.53 billion and $405 million, respectively.

From Reuters • Sep. 15, 2023

The celebrations typically conclude with a multi- or single-day lantern festival.

From Fox News • Jan. 27, 2022

Still, he and his songwriting partner Tim Friese-Greene , a producer and multi- instrumentalist who served as an unofficial fourth member of Talk Talk, expected that the record would sell millions of copies.

From Washington Post • Feb. 26, 2019

Havel plays the Pied-Piper astride his multi- coloured cavalcade.

From Unmanned by Oliver, Stephen