multilingual

American  

[muhl-tee-ling-gwuhl, muhl-tahy-, -ling-gyoo-uhl] / ˌmʌl tiˈlɪŋ gwəl, ˌmʌl taɪ-, -ˈlɪŋ gyu əl /

adjective

1. using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility.

2. spoken or written in several or many languages.

   a multilingual broadcast.

3. dealing with or involving several or many languages.

   a multilingual dictionary of business terms.

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noun

1. a multilingual person.

multilingual British  

/ ˌmʌltɪˈlɪŋɡwəl /

adjective

1. able to speak more than two languages

2. written or expressed in more than two languages Compare bilingual monolingual

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Usage

What does multilingual mean? Multilingual is most commonly used to describe someone who can speak or understand multiple languages, especially someone who can speak several languages with some level of fluency.It can also be used to describe things that involve or that are written or spoken in multiple languages, as in These instructions are multilingual—they’re written in seven different languages.Someone who speaks two languages is multilingual, but the term is most often used to describe someone who speaks more than three languages, since the term bilingual is commonly used to describe someone who speaks two languages and trilingual is used to describe someone who speaks three.The ability to speak multiple languages or the use of multiple languages is called multilingualism.Example: Being multilingual is a great advantage when applying for international jobs.

Other Word Forms

• multilingualism noun
• multilingually adverb

Etymology

Origin of multilingual

First recorded in 1830–40; multi- + lingual

Example Sentences

The state government has also issued multilingual messages about vaccines.

From BBC

The former ID.me workers said that non-English speakers, the elderly and people of color sometimes waited days for verification because the company lacked multilingual agents.

From Reuters

Hamaguchi said he enjoyed working with a multilingual cast which included Korean actress Park Yoo-rim, who plays the part of a mute actress delivering her lines in sign language.

From Reuters

Along my hospitable hall I hear tongues speaking in people — a kind and suffering, jumbled and scared, multilingual choral improvisation.

From New York Times

The residents of Champlain, like most of Miami’s multilingual masses, face constantly encroaching coastlines, rising waters, flooding streets and parking garages.

From Washington Post