multiple

[muhl-tuh-puhl]

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

/ 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

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

• nonmultiple adjective
• multiply adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of multiple¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of multiple¹

C17: via French from Late Latin multiplus, from Latin _multiplex

Example Sentences

But one question kept resurfacing, from multiple corners of the inbox, as if readers were whispering it behind cupped hands: What if we just aren’t a pie family?

Read more on Salon

Firefighters are still searching for hundreds of missing people after a massive fire tore through multiple high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong.

Read more on BBC

He has said he has survived multiple coup attempts during his time in office.

Read more on BBC

The European Commission said Thursday its Economic Sentiment Indicator, or ESI, which measures attitudes of businesses across multiple sectors of the economy, inched up to 97.0 in November from 96.8 in October.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Barring multiple turnovers, it’s hard to see Carolina keeping pace with Matthew Stafford’s efficiency.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• different 
• numerous 
• various