What does decuple mean?
Decuple means ten times as great in size, number, or degree, and it can also function as a verb meaning to multiply something by ten. The word derives from Latin 'decuplus', combining 'decem' (ten) with '-plus' (fold), placing it alongside more familiar relatives like double, triple, and quadruple. Despite this distinguished lineage, decuple remains uncommon in everyday English, appearing mostly in technical, mathematical, or deliberately formal contexts where precision matters. A writer might note that a company's revenue rose decuple over a decade, though 'tenfold' would be the natural choice for most readers. As a noun, decuple can denote a quantity ten times another. Its rarity gives it a certain literary or scholarly flavor, making it useful when an author wants an elevated register or wishes to echo the pattern of its better-known siblings.
Ten times as great in size, amount, or number.
"The village experienced a decuple growth in tourism after the festival gained fame."
Chiefly formal; 'tenfold' is the common alternative.
To multiply by ten; to make ten times as great.
"The new process could decuple the factory's output."
Rare; usually found in technical writing.
A number or quantity ten times as great as another.
"Fifty is the decuple of five."
Very rare in modern use.
As a noun, decuple takes the regular English plural.
"The mathematician compared several decuples in her calculations."
While 'double' doubles and 'triple' triples, 'decuple' does the heavy lifting — multiplying by a full ten.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decuple
Decuple comes from Latin 'decuplus' meaning 'tenfold', formed from 'decem' (ten) plus the suffix '-plus' (as in duplus, 'double'). The word entered English in the early modern period, borrowed through French or directly from Latin. It shares its Latin root 'decem' with words such as decimal, December, and dime, all pointing back to the concept of ten.
Related word forms
How decuple is actually used
Decuple is rare and chiefly formal or technical; 'tenfold' is far more common in ordinary usage. It appears most often in mathematical, scientific, or elevated prose.
Easily confused with decuple
To decimate historically means to destroy a large portion of something (originally one in ten), while decuple means to multiply by ten.