multiple
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.having or involving many different people, parts, or things.
adj.consisting of, including, or involving more than one or many individuals, parts, or elements.
Simple“The victim suffered multiple injuries in the car accident.”
In context“The investigation revealed multiple failures in the safety protocol, suggesting a systemic issue rather than a single human error.”
PitfallHe has multiple car. He has multiple cars.The adjective 'multiple' must be followed by a plural noun when used as a quantifier.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a number that you get when you multiply one whole number by another.
n.a number that may be divided by another number without a remainder.
Simple“The numbers 10, 15, and 20 are all multiples of 5.”
In context“Students must learn to identify the least common multiple of two denominators before they can successfully add fractions with different bases.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a way to measure a company's value by comparing its stock price to its earnings.
n.a valuation ratio, typically the price-to-earnings ratio, used to determine the relative value of a company's shares.
Simple“Investors are willing to pay a high multiple for tech companies.”
In context“The firm is currently trading at a multiple of twenty times its annual earnings, which some analysts consider overvalued for the sector.”
UsageOften used with 'trading at' or 'high/low'.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
n.one of several babies born at the same time to the same mother.
n.one of several offspring produced in a single birth, such as a twin or triplet.
Simple“The hospital has a special unit for caring for multiples.”
In context“The incidence of multiples has increased significantly due to the widespread use of fertility treatments over the last few decades.”
Usage multiple times · multiple sclerosis · multiple attempts
“Fire crews have been tackling blazes in the West Midlands after multiple fires tore through the region on Thursday.”
“I’m praying for him multiple times daily to make a full recovery.”
From French multiple, itself from Late Latin multiplus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.