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.

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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

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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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multiply
  adverb
• nonmultiple
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of multiple

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

Reynolds said on 20 May 2021, a team led by Swansea council trading standards visited Kismet's factory in Chelmsford and "multiple concerns" were raised about production, packaging and labelling.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Radio Korea looked at multiple sites, including one near Hancock Park, but repeatedly ran into issues involving parking and cost.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

By allowing missions to work across multiple networks, PExT could help make future space communications more flexible and resilient.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

They have been lower than that in multiple instances recently, however — including in 2022, when inventories were strained after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

James Garfield suffered through multiple surgeries as his doctors tried and failed to treat his gunshot wound.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• different
• numerous
• various