multiplication
B1Neutral to formal, predominantly academic/mathematical.
Definition
Meaning
The mathematical operation of combining groups of equal size to find the total quantity.
A large increase in number or amount; the act or process of reproducing or propagating something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes the arithmetic process, but can be used metaphorically for rapid proliferation (e.g., multiplication of problems).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None in meaning or usage. Potential minor differences in teaching terminology (e.g., 'times' vs. 'multiplied by' in spoken instruction).
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties, heavily context-dependent on educational/technical discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
multiplication of (the multiplication of bacteria)multiplication by (multiplication by five)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Multiplication of woe (literary, rare)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; used metaphorically for exponential growth, e.g., 'the multiplication of shareholder value'.
Academic
Core term in mathematics and sciences; precise technical meaning.
Everyday
Common in educational contexts (helping children with homework) and general discussion of growth.
Technical
Specific meanings in computing (scalar multiplication), biology (cell multiplication), and advanced mathematics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The bacteria began to multiply rapidly in the warm petri dish.
- To find the area, multiply the length by the width.
American English
- Our efforts multiplied the initial investment tenfold.
- He multiplied the coefficients to simplify the equation.
adverb
British English
- The data was multiplicatively scaled for the graph.
- The costs increased multiplicatively over time.
American English
- The effect worked multiplicatively, not additively.
- The values were combined multiplicatively in the model.
adjective
British English
- The multiplicative effect of the new policy was significant.
- She explained the multiplicative property of zero.
American English
- They studied the multiplicative inverse of the matrix.
- The process has a multiplicative factor of 1.5.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- We learn multiplication in maths class.
- Five times two is a simple multiplication.
- Children often practice multiplication using flashcards.
- The multiplication of single-cell organisms is very fast.
- The report highlighted the rapid multiplication of administrative tasks.
- Understanding matrix multiplication is essential for this course.
- The multiplicative noise in the signal required sophisticated filtering.
- His theory posits a multiplicative interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MULTI-PLY-CATION: Think of MULTIple piles (groups) being combined.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARITHMETIC IS OBJECT CONSTRUCTION (building a total from repeated units); GROWTH IS MULTIPLICATION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'умножение' used in a purely mathematical sense; the English word has a stronger metaphorical use for proliferation.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'multiplacation' or 'multiplicaton'. Incorrect use of prepositions: 'multiplication with' instead of 'multiplication by'.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'cross multiplication' most specifically used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its primary and most precise meaning is mathematical, it is commonly used metaphorically to describe any rapid increase or proliferation, especially in biology and general discourse.
Multiplication is repeated addition. Adding the same number multiple times (e.g., 5+5+5) is equivalent to multiplying (5x3). Multiplication generally implies combining equal groups.
A multiplication table (or times table) is a structured list showing the results of multiplying two numbers, typically from 1 to 10 or 12, used as a fundamental learning tool in primary education.
No, 'multiply' is a verb. The noun form is exclusively 'multiplication'. The related adjective is 'multiplicative'.
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