What does multiple mean?
Multiple means more than one, and it is used whenever a person, object, event, or quality exists in several distinct forms. It can modify collective or countable nouns, as in “multiple reasons” or “multiple injuries,” and is especially common in reports, announcements, and academic writing. In mathematics, the term has a more precise meaning: a multiple of a number is any number obtained by multiplying it by an integer, so 12 is a multiple of 3. The word can also refer to a product or design made from separate components, as in a multiple-choice examination. Unlike some alternatives, multiple does not necessarily suggest that the individual items are very numerous; it simply indicates that there is more than one. Its clarity and neutrality make it a useful alternative to phrases such as “a number of” or “more than one,” although repetition can occasionally make it sound formal.
Consisting of more than one person, thing, element, or part.
"The interview revealed multiple discrepancies in the account."
Common in general, academic, and business contexts; it is neutral in tone.
A number that is the product of another number and an integer, especially in mathematics.
"Thirty is a multiple of five."
As a noun, multiple is especially common in mathematical and financial contexts.
The plural is used for separate mathematical quantities or for products made from several components.
"The teacher's lesson included examples of common multiples."
From the Latin multiplex, meaning “manyfold,” multiple grew from a mathematical idea into a general description of anything that exists in more than one form.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does multiple come from?
The word entered English from the Latin multiplex, meaning “many,” “numerous,” or “manyfold.” It is related to Latin multus, meaning “many,” and to the element -plic-, associated with folding or multiplying. Over time, the word developed from its mathematical sense into general English, where it describes anything consisting of more than one part or occurring in more than one instance.
Related word forms
How multiple is actually used
Multiple is neutral and common in formal and informal contexts. It is often used before a noun, as in “multiple causes,” while “several” can imply a smaller or less definite number. In mathematical contexts, a multiple is specifically a number divisible without remainder by another number.
Easily confused with multiple
Multiple describes something consisting of more than one part, whereas multiply means to increase a number by repeated addition or to make more numerous.