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.

The stepped-up operation is part of a multistage Pentagon plan to reduce the danger from Iranian armed boats, mines and cruise missiles, which have halted ship traffic through the waterway since early March.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 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

Mr. Abu Marzouk added that another obstacle in the talks is how many living hostages held in Gaza would be released during the first phase of a multistage cease-fire.

From New York Times • May 10, 2024

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