multiparty

American

[muhl-tee-pahr-tee, muhl-tahy-] / ˌmʌl tiˈpɑr ti, ˌmʌl taɪ- /

adjective

of or relating to more than two political parties.

multiparty British

/ ˌmʌltɪˈpɑːtɪ /

adjective

of or relating to a state, political system, etc, in which more than one political party is permitted

multiparty democracy

"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

Etymology

Origin of multiparty

First recorded in 1905–10; multi- + party

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

multiparty

Every change of president since the return to multiparty politics in 1991 has been achieved through elections.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Zambia has a long record of transferring power through the ballot box, with every change of president since the return to multiparty politics in 1991 achieved through elections.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

According to Burkina Faso's Interior Minister Emile Zerbo, the ban is part of plans to "rebuild the state" after what he said were "numerous abuses" in the country's multiparty system.

From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2026

Dutch leaders must rely on fragile multiparty coalitions to pursue their agendas, and modest shifts in political mood can propel them into power—or destroy them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2025

But if a democracy could best be expressed by a multiparty system then I would examine that carefully.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023