sextuple: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “sextuple” mean?
Six times as great or as many.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Six times as great or as many; consisting of six parts or things.
To multiply or become six times as great or as numerous.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage patterns are essentially identical. Both regions primarily encounter the term in mathematical, statistical, or technical contexts.
Connotations
No significant connotational differences. Neutral and technical in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally rare in both British and American English.
Grammar
How to Use “sextuple” in a Sentence
[V] sextuple (intransitive): The population sextupled.[V n] sextuple (transitive): They aim to sextuple their output.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sextuple” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The city's traffic has sextupled since the 1980s.
- If we sextuple our investment, the returns could be immense.
American English
- The company's value sextupled after the product launch.
- He managed to sextuple his score in the final round.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. Might appear in hyperbolic projections: 'Our goal is to sextuple market share.'
Academic
Used in mathematics, statistics, demography, and economics to describe precise multiplication.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
The primary register. Used in medical (e.g., sextuple bypass surgery), sports (sextuple championship win), and scientific reporting.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sextuple”
- Mispronouncing the first syllable as /seks/ instead of /sek/.
- Using it as a casual synonym for 'a lot' instead of the precise 'six times'.
- Misspelling as 'sextuplet' (which refers to one of six offspring).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a low-frequency word used almost exclusively in formal, technical, or statistical contexts. Words like 'six times' or 'sixfold' are far more common.
'Sextuple' is primarily an adjective or verb meaning 'six times as much'. 'Sextuplet' is a noun referring to one of six children born at one birth.
In British English: /ˈsek.stjʊ.pəl/. In American English: /ˈsek.stə.pəl/. The first syllable rhymes with 'deck', not 'sex'.
Yes, but it's rare. As a noun, it can refer to a set of six, especially in music (a six-part score) or in sports (a group of six trophies). The noun 'sextuplet' is more common for individual items in a group of six.
Six times as great or as many.
Sextuple is usually formal, technical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms found]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SEX' (six in Latin) + 'tuple' (like in triple, quadruple). It's the six-times version of 'triple'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SCALE/INCREASE IS UP: 'The numbers sextupled, soaring to new heights.'
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'sextuple' most appropriately used?