multiple

American  

[muhl-tuh-puhl] / ˈmʌl tə pəl /

adjective

1. consisting of, having, or involving several or many individuals, parts, elements, relations, etc.; manifold.

2. Electricity.

   1. (of circuits) arranged in parallel.

   2. (of a circuit or circuits) having a number of points at which connection can be made.

3. Botany. (of a fruit) collective.

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noun

• multiples
  plural

1. Mathematics. a number that contains another number an integral number of times without a remainder.

   12 is a multiple of 3.

2. Electricity. a group of terminals arranged to make a circuit or group of circuits accessible at a number of points at any one of which connection can be made.

multiple British  

/ ˈmʌltɪpəl /

adjective

1. having or involving more than one part, individual, etc

   he had multiple injuries

2. electronics (of a circuit) having a number of conductors in parallel

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noun

1. the product of a given number or polynomial and any other one

   6 is a multiple of 2

2. telephony an electrical circuit accessible at a number of points to any one of which a connection can be made

3. short for multiple store

multiple Scientific  

/ mŭl′tə-pəl /

1. A number that may be divided by another number with no remainder. For example, 4, 10, and 32 are multiples of 2.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonmultiple
  adjective
• multiply
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• multiples
  plural

Etymology

Origin of multiple

First recorded in 1570–80; from French, from Late Latin multiplus “manifold”; see multi-

Explanation

When you're talking about more than one, you're talking about multiple things. A machine with many fixtures has multiple parts. A person that seems like two totally different people on different days might have multiple personalities. The word multiple comes from the Latin multiplus meaning "manifold." When something exists in multiple forms, it's manifold, or has many kinds. Think of a multiplex theater that can show multiple movies at once. Walk through a garden full of flowers and you'll see multiple kinds of blooms. A multiple is also a number that can be divided into another number without a remainder. Multiples of five, for example are ten, fifteen, twenty... — you get the picture.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

multiple multiples

The team expects future observations using multiple wavelengths and similarly precise instruments to uncover a wider range of elements in exoplanet atmospheres.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

The play, which debuted in New York, will feature McKellen and Bridgerton star Golda Rosheuvel in 3D holographic form, which was achieved using 52 cameras filming them from multiple angles.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

At Cowles Commission seminars, Friedman persistently argued that their modeling choices were arbitrary and their complex general equilibrium multiple regression models didn’t generate predictions supported by the evidence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

They could be marketed via multiple distribution arrangements including sales loads and monthly marketing fees.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026

“We’re going to learn how to multiply multiple digits.”

From "Muffled" by Jennifer Gennari

Therefore investors are continuing “to reprice growth-heavy equity valuations in general,” meaning they’re taking a fresh look at the high stock multiples associated with companies that borrow money to help fuel their growth.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026

“The current valuation leaves Porsche trading on demanding near-term multiples, perhaps capping re-rating potential until we get closer to the 2028 margin inflection.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

And tech darlings are no longer commanding the multiples that they once did.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Crucially, with the broader market spinning its wheels of late, surging earnings mean price-to-earnings multiples have dropped.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

“If I bought a credit default swap, my downside was defined and certain, and the upside was many multiples of it.”

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• different
• numerous
• various