quintuple
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Definition
Meaning
To multiply by five; consisting of five parts or members.
To increase fivefold; to become five times as great; something that is five times the size or amount; a set of five.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used both as a verb (to multiply by five) and as a quantifier/determiner (fivefold). Less common than "double" or "triple". Often found in statistical, economic, and growth contexts. The ordinal form is 'quintuplet' for one of five offspring born at one birth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Both accept all parts of speech.
Connotations
Formal or technical in both varieties. No regional connotative differences.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] + (object) (e.g., The profits quintupled.)[V] + object (e.g., They quintupled the budget.)[Det] + noun (e.g., a quintuple increase)[Adj] (e.g., The amount was quintuple the original.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. The related noun 'quintuplets' is used to describe five babies born together.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe dramatic growth, e.g., 'The company aims to quintuple its market share within five years.'
Academic
Common in mathematics, economics, and sciences to describe proportional increase, e.g., 'The application of the catalyst quintupled the reaction rate.'
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used for emphasis in reporting dramatic increases, e.g., 'Our rent has quintupled since we moved in!'
Technical
Used in sports scoring (rare), music (quintuple metre), and medicine (quintuple coronary bypass surgery).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The population is projected to quintuple in the next century.
- We managed to quintuple our initial investment.
American English
- The startup's valuation quintupled after the new funding round.
- They quintupled production to meet the sudden demand.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The number of students in the class has quintupled.
- They hope to quintuple their profits.
- Following the successful advertising campaign, sales quintupled within a single quarter.
- A quintuple increase in funding is necessary to sustain the project.
- The economic model predicted that foreign direct investment would quintuple if the proposed trade agreements were ratified.
- The athlete's rigorous new training regimen resulted in a quintuple improvement in his endurance metrics.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a QUINTet (a group of five) becoming even bigger: QUINT-et becomes QUINT-uple (five times).
Conceptual Metaphor
GROWTH IS MULTIPLICATION (a specific case of the more common 'GROWTH IS MULTIPLYING').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation from Russian constructions. In Russian, one might say "увеличиться в пять раз" which maps directly to 'increase fivefold' or 'quintuple', not to a verb like *"пятерировать" which is not standard.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing the ordinal (fifth) with the multiplier (quintuple).
- Using as a noun for a group of five (correct: quintet, quintuplets; 'quintuple' as a noun is rare).
- Mispronunciation: /ˈkwin-tu-pəl/ instead of the standard pronunciations.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise meaning of 'quintuple' as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered a formal or technical term. 'Five times' or 'increase fivefold' are more common in everyday speech.
Rarely. While possible (e.g., 'a quintuple of wins'), the noun 'quintuplet' (for one of five babies) or 'set of five' is preferred.
'Quintuple' is primarily an adjective (fivefold) or verb (to multiply by five). 'Quintuplet' is a noun meaning one of five offspring born at the same time, or, in music, a group of five notes.
In British English, the standard pronunciation is /ˈkwɪn.tjʊ.pəl/, with stress on the first syllable.