multiplication

American  

[muhl-tuh-pli-key-shuhn] / ˌmʌl tə plɪˈkeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of multiplying or the state of being multiplied.

2. Arithmetic. a mathematical operation, symbolized by a × b, a ⋅ b, a ∗ b, or ab, and signifying, when a and b are positive integers, that a is to be added to itself as many times as there are units in b; the addition of a number to itself as often as is indicated by another number, as in 2×3 or 5×10.

3. Mathematics. any generalization of this operation applicable to numbers other than integers, as fractions or irrational numbers.

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multiplication British  

/ ˌmʌltɪplɪˈkeɪʃən /

noun

1. an arithmetical operation, defined initially in terms of repeated addition, usually written a × b, a.b, or ab, by which the product of two quantities is calculated: to multiply a by positive integral b is to add a to itself b times. Multiplication by fractions can then be defined in the light of the associative and commutative properties; multiplication by 1/ n is equivalent to multiplication by 1 followed by division by n: for example 0.3 × 0.7 = 0.3 × 7/ 10 = (0.3 × 7)/10 = 2 1/ 10 = 0.21

2. the act of multiplying or state of being multiplied

3. the act or process in animals, plants, or people of reproducing or breeding

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multiplication Scientific  

/ mŭl′tə-plĭ-kā′shən /

1. A mathematical operation performed on a pair of numbers in order to derive a third number called a product. For positive integers, multiplication consists of adding a number (the multiplicand) to itself a specified number of times. Thus multiplying 6 by 3 means adding 6 to itself three times. The operation of multiplication is extended to other real numbers according to the rules governing the multiplicative properties of positive integers.

2. Any of certain analogous operations involving mathematical objects other than numbers.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• multiplicational
  adjective
• nonmultiplication
  noun
• remultiplication
  noun
• nonmultiplicational
  adjective
• overmultiplication
  noun

Etymology

Origin of multiplication

1350–1400; Middle English multiplicacio ( u ) n < Latin multiplicātiōn- (stem of multiplicātiō ). See multi-, plication

Explanation

In math, multiplication is when you add a number to itself a certain number of times. The multiplication of 3 times 2 gives you an answer of 6. if you put two bunnies in a cage and end up with six, that's a different type of multiplication. Multiplication falls under the mathematical category of arithmetic, and it's usually taught after addition and subtraction. When you memorize your times tables in school, you're learning multiplication. In science, the word multiplication is sometimes used to talk about the increase of an organism through generations of reproducing, like the multiplication of a farmer's sheep flock as more lambs are born. The Latin root word is multiplicare, "to increase."

Example Sentences

“To have a really good organization, everyone has to be united in what they want, and each person has to contribute. It’s kind of like multiplication rather than addition.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Nominally about multiplication, the test was actually about how well you functioned under pressure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Try jotting down three fractions separated by multiplication signs: earnings/sales x sales/assets x assets/equity.

From Barron's • Dec. 26, 2025

This process is similar to a matrix-vector multiplication, where light waves interact to create focused "bright spots" at specific output points.

From Science Daily • Oct. 28, 2025

“To my troika of Incorrigibles, the three cleverest pupils any governess could wish for. How go the multiplication tables?”

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• amplification