multiplayer

American  

[muhl-tee-pley-er, muhl-tahy‐] / ˈmʌl tiˌpleɪ ər, ˈmʌl taɪ‐ /

adjective

1. noting or relating to a video game, or a portion of a video game, in which more than one person plays at the same time in a shared game environment: a multiplayer experience.

   a multiplayer game;

   multiplayer mode;

   a multiplayer experience.

2. relating to or involving more than one player.

   The pitcher was traded in a multiplayer deal.

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multiplayer British  

/ ˈmʌltɪˌpleɪə /

noun

1. a mode of play involving more than one player at one time in a computer or video game

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Etymology

Origin of multiplayer

First recorded in 1945–50; multi- + player

Example Sentences

In a statement on Monday, he said the deal with Nvidia lays the foundation for an “increasingly multiplayer AV world.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

In Australia, there is some anecdotal evidence that younger teens have turned instead to multiplayer online games with chat functions not covered by the ban.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

The developer of a multiplayer shooter given top billing at The Game Awards has laid off multiple staff members just two weeks after its release.

From BBC • Feb. 12, 2026

The action-adventure title was out of step with the 2026 games market dominated by shooters, sports and multiplayer.

From Barron's • Jan. 22, 2026

They played video games, the first being an early Star Wars game that they could play against each other after Keith used his wizardry to connect two computers together—an early, jerry-rigged, multiplayer game.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel