multiplex

American  

[muhl-tuh-pleks] / ˈmʌl təˌplɛks /

adjective

1. having many parts or aspects.

   the multiplex problem of drug abuse.

2. manifold; multiple.

   the multiplex opportunities in high technology.

3. Telecommunications. of, relating to, or using equipment permitting the simultaneous transmission of two or more signals or messages over a single channel.

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verb (used with object)

1. Telecommunications.

   1. to arrange (a circuit) for use by multiplex telegraphy, allowing multiple synchronous signals to be sent and received on a single telegraph wire.

   2. to transmit (two or more signals or messages) by a multiplex system, circuit, or the like, as in telegraph and telephone communication, or television and radio broadcasting.

verb (used without object)

1. to send several messages or signals simultaneously, as in telegraph and telephone communication, or television and radio broadcasting.

noun

1. a multiplex electronics system.

2. (in map making) a stereoscopic device that makes it possible to view pairs of aerial photographs in three dimensions.

3. Also called multiplex cinema.  Also called multiplex theater.  a group of two or more movie theaters on the same site or in the same building, especially a cluster of adjoining theaters.

multiplex British  

/ ˈmʌltɪˌplɛks /

noun

1. telecomm

   1. the use of a common communications channel for sending two or more messages or signals. In frequency-division multiplex the frequency band transmitted by the common channel is split into narrower bands each of which constitutes a distinct channel. In time-division multiplex different channels are established by intermittent connections to the common channel

   2. ( as modifier )

      a multiplex transmitter

2. 1. a purpose-built complex containing a number of cinemas and usually a restaurant or bar

   2. ( as modifier )

      a multiplex cinema

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adjective

1. designating a method of map-making using three cameras to produce a stereoscopic effect

2. a less common word for multiple

verb

1. to send (messages or signals) or (of messages or signals) be sent by multiplex

Other Word Forms

• multiplexer noun
• multiplexor noun

Etymology

Origin of multiplex

From Latin, dating back to 1550–60; multi-, -plex

Explanation

A multiplex is like a movie lover’s paradise — a big building packed with many theaters, so you can decide whether you’re in the mood for an action flick, a comedy, or the latest animated hit, all under one roof. The word multiplex us built from multi-, meaning "many," and plex, meaning "having parts or units." Originally, it described something complex or made up of many parts, and it still does. It also describes communication systems that carry multiple signals on the same channel. But today, the more common meaning of multiplex is a large cinema complex with multiple theaters showing different movies.

Example Sentences

“It’s a ‘90s multiplex cinema, and we’re going to lean into that, to design the space to feel like that era of multiplex cinema,” Di Ianni says.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2026

The Grand lives up to its name and then some, a 22-screen multiplex that’s one of the largest theaters in the Midwest and one of the few big movie palaces anywhere that’s independently owned.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

Sly, wry, adorable and deplorable, Guillaume Marbeck is priceless as the endlessly irritating and yet frustratingly charismatic Jean-Luc Godard in one of the year’s brightest pictures, a rare standout in a sea of multiplex mediocrity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

But with the rise of streaming, the popularity of high-end home cinema equipment, as well as cut-throat competition from deep-pocketed multiplex chains, the independents are facing an existential crisis.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

Then we were to go to the multiplex while my mother “picked up a few things at the mall,” which is what she calls shopping.

From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg

Related Words

• different
• numerous
• various