multiply

[muhl-tuh-plahy]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR multiply ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), mul·ti·plied, mul·ti·ply·ing.

to make many or manifold; increase the number, quantity, etc., of.

Arithmetic. to find the product of by multiplication.

to breed (animals).

to propagate (plants).

to increase by procreation.

verb (used without object), mul·ti·plied, mul·ti·ply·ing.

to grow in number, quantity, etc.; increase.

Arithmetic. to perform the process of multiplication.

to increase in number by procreation or natural generation.

Origin of multiply

1225–75; Middle English multiplien < Old French multiplier < Latin multiplicāre. See multi-, ply²

Related formsself-mul·ti·plied, adjectiveself-mul·ti·ply·ing, adjectiveun·mul·ti·plied, adjectiveun·mul·ti·ply·ing, adjective

Synonyms for multiply

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR multiply ON THESAURUS.COM

6. magnify, enlarge, intensify.

multiply

[muhl-tuh-plee]

adverb

in several or many ways; in a multiple manner; manifoldly.

Origin of multiply

First recorded in 1880–85; multiple + -ly

multi-ply

[muhl-tee-plahy, muhl-tahy-]

adjective

having or composed of several plies: a multi-ply fabric.

Origin of multi-ply

First recorded in 1935–40

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for multiply

proliferate, augment, magnify, heighten, breed, enlarge, spread, propagate, accumulate, boost, generate, expand, cube, manifold, raise, extend, double, mount, rise, produce

Examples from the Web for multiply

Contemporary Examples of multiply

A flamboyant, multi-titled, multiply married royal to remember, the Duchess of Alba died Thursday at the age of 88.
Adiós to the Diva Duchess
Barbie Latza Nadeau
November 20, 2014
Multiply that number by 365 and you get more than 30,000 families who suffer from gun violence over the course of a year.
Joe the Plumber’s ‘Dead Kid’ Callousness
Erica Lafferty
May 29, 2014
And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis
The Daily Beast
March 24, 2014
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
The Story of Noah's Ark From the Bible’s Book of Genesis
The Daily Beast
March 24, 2014
As the search for Flight 370 continues, conspiracy theories are sure to multiply and evolve.
The Craziest Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Conspiracy Theories
Caitlin Dickson
March 13, 2014

Historical Examples of multiply

Obstacles will only increase his eagerness and multiply his artifices.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
If you are wise and old and gray in woods experience, you will multiply that length by four.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
On the contrary, the fit should be urged to multiply as much as possible.
The Sexual Question
August Forel
It is more easy to mention the types which should not be allowed to multiply than those which should.
The Sexual Question
August Forel
I'm about to tell you how you can multiply yours considerable.
Old Man Curry
Charles E. (Charles Emmett) Van Loan

British Dictionary definitions for multiply

multiply

verb -plies, -plying or -plied

to increase or cause to increase in number, quantity, or degree

(tr) to combine (two numbers or quantities) by multiplication

(intr) to increase in number by reproduction

Derived Formsmultipliable or multiplicable, adjective

Word Origin for multiply

C13: from Old French multiplier, from Latin multiplicāre to multiply, from multus much, many + plicāre to fold

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for multiply

mid-12c., multeplier, "to cause to become many," from Old French multiplier, mouteplier (12c.) "increase, get bigger; flourish; breed; extend, enrich," from Latin multiplicare "to increase," from multiplex (genitive multiplicis) "having many folds, many times as great in number," from comb. form of multus (see multi-) + -plex "-fold," from PIE *plek- "to plait" (see ply (v.1.)). Mathematical sense is attested from late 14c. Related: Multiplied; multiplying.