Idiom idiom
contain multitudes
Meaning
To have a complex and apparently paradoxical nature; to be inconsistent, especially in a way that is ultimately admirable or noble.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“People are complex and often contain multitudes.”
“You might think he is only a quiet accountant, but he contains multitudes, including a secret life as a jazz musician.”
“The protagonist is a fascinating character who contains multitudes, shifting between deep cruelty and unexpected acts of kindness throughout the novel.”
Origin
first recorded 19th c.
first recorded 19th c.
Coined by the American poet Walt Whitman (1819–1892) in his poem “Song of Myself” published in Leaves of Grass (1855): see the quotation.
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026