multiple

American  

[muhl-tuh-puhl] / ˈmʌl tə pəl /

adjective

1. consisting of, having, or involving several or many individuals, parts, elements, relations, etc.; manifold.

2. Electricity.

   1. (of circuits) arranged in parallel.

   2. (of a circuit or circuits) having a number of points at which connection can be made.

3. Botany. (of a fruit) collective.

---

noun

1. Mathematics. a number that contains another number an integral number of times without a remainder.

   12 is a multiple of 3.

2. Electricity. a group of terminals arranged to make a circuit or group of circuits accessible at a number of points at any one of which connection can be made.

multiple British  

/ ˈmʌltɪpəl /

adjective

1. having or involving more than one part, individual, etc

   he had multiple injuries

2. electronics (of a circuit) having a number of conductors in parallel

---

noun

1. the product of a given number or polynomial and any other one

   6 is a multiple of 2

2. telephony an electrical circuit accessible at a number of points to any one of which a connection can be made

3. short for multiple store

multiple Scientific  

/ mŭl′tə-pəl /

1. A number that may be divided by another number with no remainder. For example, 4, 10, and 32 are multiples of 2.

---

Other Word Forms

• multiply adverb
• nonmultiple adjective

Etymology

Origin of multiple

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Late Latin multiplus “manifold”; multi-

Explanation

When you're talking about more than one, you're talking about multiple things. A machine with many fixtures has multiple parts. A person that seems like two totally different people on different days might have multiple personalities. The word multiple comes from the Latin multiplus meaning "manifold." When something exists in multiple forms, it's manifold, or has many kinds. Think of a multiplex theater that can show multiple movies at once. Walk through a garden full of flowers and you'll see multiple kinds of blooms. A multiple is also a number that can be divided into another number without a remainder. Multiples of five, for example are ten, fifteen, twenty... — you get the picture.

Example Sentences

For those aging in place with multiple chronic conditions, keeping up with which meds to take when can feel like a full-time job.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

“The lag obscures the connection, but it doesn’t break it. Retirees on fixed incomes managing multiple prescriptions need to understand that today’s oil prices are tomorrow’s drug costs.”

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

Its average multiple since the brand’s 2011 IPO is 28 times.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Divide those tickets to ensure they can be distributed over a number of drops and then divide each drop’s $28 tickets across multiple sports.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Turning, I saw the shimmering image of the rock, thrown up by multiple projectors mounted to the surrounding mountain.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Related Words

• different
• numerous
• various