multiple
C1 (High frequency)Formal, Technical, Academic, Business
Definition
Meaning
Involving or consisting of more than one part, individual, or element.
1. Many in number; numerous. 2. (Electricity) A group of terminals arranged to make a circuit or circuits accessible at a number of points.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can function as a determiner, adjective, and noun. As a noun, it often refers to a quantity that contains another quantity an exact number of times (mathematics) or a shared electrical connection point.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Slight preference for 'multiple' as an adjective before a noun in American English (e.g., 'multiple times').
Connotations
Neutral in both. In business/tech contexts, implies efficiency or scale.
Frequency
Very high and consistent frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
ADJ + N (multiple problems)a multiple of N (a multiple of five)VERB + multiple (to suffer from multiple)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be of a multiple nature”
- “To have multiple irons in the fire”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to valuation metrics (e.g., price-to-earnings multiple) or simultaneous projects/channels.
Academic
Used in mathematics (least common multiple), research (multiple variables), and criticism (multiple interpretations).
Everyday
Common for describing repeated events or numerous items (e.g., 'I called multiple times').
Technical
In computing (multiple threads), electronics (multiple jack), and medicine (multiple injuries).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The driver sustained multiple injuries in the crash.
- We considered the proposal from multiple angles.
American English
- The system failed for multiple reasons.
- She made multiple attempts to contact the office.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He has multiple pencils in his bag.
- I saw the film multiple times.
- The survey asked multiple questions about health.
- The problem was caused by multiple factors.
- The study controlled for multiple variables to ensure accuracy.
- Investors value the company at a high earnings multiple.
- The novel lends itself to multiple, often contradictory, interpretations.
- The device features a multiple jack for connecting several headphones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'MULTI-ple' – 'MULTI' means many, and it has many letters, just like the concept.
Conceptual Metaphor
QUANTITY IS MULTIPLICATION (e.g., 'multiple offers' implies offers have been multiplied).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как 'мультипльный' (калька).
- В значении 'несколько' — 'several' или 'a number of' могут быть более естественными, чем 'multiple'.
- В математике 'multiple' — 'кратное число', а не 'множественное'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'multiple' with uncountable nouns (e.g., 'multiple information' is incorrect).
- Confusing 'multiple' (adjective) with 'multiply' (verb).
- Overusing in place of simpler terms like 'many' or 'several' in informal speech.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'multiple' used as a noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, 'multiple' modifies plural countable nouns. You cannot have 'multiple water' but you can have 'multiple bottles of water'.
'Multiple' often implies a larger or more indefinite number than 'several' and is more formal. 'Several' typically suggests a small number, more than two but not many.
Yes, in mathematics (e.g., '20 is a multiple of 5') and in business/finance (e.g., 'valuation multiple').
It can be, but 'manifold' is more literary and formal. It often implies many and varied types, not just many in number.