What does "multitude" mean?

1. (a large number) a very large number of things or people. 2. (the masses) a large group of people, or the general public.

How do you use "multitude"?

Commonly functions as a countable noun followed by the preposition 'of'. Usually appears as 'the multitude' in a singular form to represent a collective group.

multitude

US //ˈməɫtəˌtud// UK //mˈʌltɪtjˌuːd// mul·ti·tude

1 a large number (n.)
C1 Advanced Formal

a very large number of things or people.

a great number or an indefinite large quantity of something. Often used in the phrase 'a multitude of'.

Example

The new law created a multitude of problems for small business owners.

Example

The researcher faced a multitude of logistical challenges while attempting to coordinate the international study across four different time zones.

Usage

Commonly functions as a countable noun followed by the preposition 'of'.
- myriad
- abundance
- profusion
- host
- handful
- few
2 the masses (n.)
C1 Advanced Literary Formal

a large group of people, or the general public.

the mass of ordinary people; the populace. Usually preceded by the definite article.

Example

The leader spoke from the balcony to the gathered multitude below.

Example

The philosopher argued that the needs of the multitude should always outweigh the desires of the ruling elite.

Usage

Usually appears as 'the multitude' in a singular form to represent a collective group.
- elite
- aristocracy

Origin

From Middle English multitude, multitud, multytude (“(great) amount or number of people or things; multitudinous”), borrowed from Old French multitude (“crowd of people; diversity, wide range”), or directly from its etymon Latin multitūdō (“great amount or number of people or things”), from multus (“many; much”) + -tūdō (suffix forming abstract nouns indicating a state or condition). The English word is analysable as multi- + -itude.