What does sextuple mean?
Sextuple means six times as much or six times the original quantity. It can describe a sixfold increase, a six-part arrangement, or the act of multiplying a number or amount by six. The word is especially useful when describing dramatic growth, such as a sextuple rise in revenue, although it can sound emphatic or hyperbolic in informal conversation. Although primarily an adjective, sextuple can also function as a verb meaning “multiply by six,” as in a plan to sextuple production. In some formal and technical settings, it may be used as a noun for a sixfold amount. Its unusual form and its direct connection with the number six make it more memorable than a general term such as “six times greater,” while its figurative use conveys the idea of extraordinary expansion or scale.
Consisting of or amounting to six times as much; sixfold.
"The charity achieved a sextuple increase in donations."
The most common modern use.
To multiply by six; make six times as great.
"The business plans to sextuple its investment over the next five years."
A quantity that is six times another quantity; a sixfold amount.
"The revised budget is a sextuple of the original allocation."
From the Latin root for six, sextuple describes anything multiplied by six—not merely six in number.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sextuple come from?
Sextuple comes from Latin sextuplus, meaning “sixfold” or “six times as much,” from the Latin numeral sex, “six.” English adopted the form in the 16th century, initially in mathematical and musical contexts. The word later extended to ordinary usage for describing any sixfold multiplication or increase.
Related word forms
How sextuple is actually used
The adjective and verb forms are standard in British and American English. As a noun, the word is less common and is mainly used in formal or technical contexts.