multitude
Americannoun
-
a great number; host.
a multitude of friends.
-
a great number of people gathered together; crowd; throng.
- Synonyms:
- mass
-
the state or character of being many; numerousness.
-
the multitude, the common people; the masses.
noun
-
a large gathering of people
-
the common people
-
a large number
-
the state or quality of being numerous
Synonym Usage
See crowd 1.
Etymology
Origin of multitude
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English word from Latin word multitūdō. See multi-, -tude
Explanation
A multitude is a very large number or a huge crowd. If you see a multitude of zombies approaching, you're in trouble. Sometimes the word multitude refers to the common people, or the masses — that is, everyone in a society apart from the political elite. There are a lot of words and phrases for this, like hoi polloi, which is Greek for "the many," and "the great unwashed." Those last two terms are usually used in a disapproving way, but multitudes is generally a positive term. If you were to say that a leader inspired the multitudes to rise up against their oppressor, we'd assume that you sympathized with the multitudes.
Vocabulary lists containing multitude
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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 three companies reported earnings as well, so the stock moves likely reflect a multitude of factors.
From MarketWatch • May 7, 2026
The county court system, which hears criminal cases as well as a multitude of civil matters, is vast with locations as far north as Lancaster and as far south as Catalina Island.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Infertility is caused by a multitude of different factors, Dr. Rachel Jensen, ACOG’s Darney-Landy fellow, told Salon.
From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026
If the case does proceed to trial, that path will be "beset by a multitude of delays" given the size and complexity of the material, which will include sensitive national security information.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Oppenheimer provided it, warning that a multitude of theoretical and technical questions still remained unresolved; therefore, design work should be initiated immediately if the weapon were to be ready in time to influence the war.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
