multistage

American

[muhl-ti-steyj] / ˈmʌl tɪˌsteɪdʒ /

adjective

(of a rocket or guided missile) having more than one stage.

multistage British

/ ˈmʌltɪˌsteɪdʒ /

adjective

(of a rocket or missile) having several stages, each of which can be jettisoned after it has burnt out
(of a turbine, compressor, or supercharger) having more than one rotor
(of any process or device) having more than one stage

"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

Etymology

Origin of multistage

First recorded in 1900–05; multi- + stage

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It would be the first part of a multistage framework, which the U.S. hopes will lead to Iran curtailing its nuclear program for decades, it added.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

Global investment firm Cambridge Associates advised limited partners to include multistage investing strategies as they invest in venture funds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The lease was the first step in a multistage recovery.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

The emotional and practical burden of this multistage process may discourage withdrawals.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 10, 2026

Dylan laughed and they exchanged a series of complex, multistage handshake-fist-bump-high-fives.

From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023