multiparty

American  

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

adjective

1. of or relating to more than two political parties.

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multiparty British  

/ ˌmʌltɪˈpɑːtɪ /

adjective

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

   multiparty democracy

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Etymology

Origin of multiparty

First recorded in 1905–10; multi- + party

Example Sentences

Cuban exiles have demanded multiparty elections, freedom of speech, the release of political prisoners and other reforms.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

If he succeeds, he will become the first head of state to serve two consecutive terms since the introduction of the multiparty system in 1994.

From Barron's • Nov. 23, 2025

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

As a result, a region that is known more for governments that manage to hold on to power for decades has seen 12 months of vibrant, intensely contested, multiparty politics.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2024

On that day, after months of negotiations at the World Trade Centre, the multiparty forum voted to set a date for the country’s first national, nonracial, one-person- one-vote election: April 27,1994.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela