# multiverse

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/multiverse
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. physics and philosophy

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic · Technical

the idea that there are many different universes besides the one we live in.

For teachers: the hypothetical set of all possible universes, including the one we inhabit, often discussed in quantum mechanics and cosmology.

- Some scientists believe in a multiverse where every choice creates a new reality.
- The inflationary multiverse theory suggests that our observable universe is merely one bubble in a vast, eternal sea of other universes.

Usage: Usually used with the definite article 'the'.

### 2. fiction and media

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a collection of different stories or timelines in movies and books where characters can meet.

For teachers: the totality of different canons, continuities, or parallel timelines within a fictional franchise.

- In the latest superhero movie, different versions of the hero meet in the multiverse.
- The studio used the concept of a multiverse to reboot the franchise while keeping the original actors in guest roles.

Usage: Often used as a plot device to explain inconsistencies in a story's history.

### 3. a chaotic world

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

a way of describing the world as a place without a clear plan or purpose.

For teachers: the world or existence viewed as lacking a coherent design, purpose, or predictable order.

- The poet described the multiverse as a cold place where things happen by pure chance.
- His philosophical treatise argues that we inhabit a multiverse of random occurrences rather than a divinely ordered system.

Usage: This sense is rare in modern conversation and is mostly found in older philosophical texts.

## Examples

- The theory of the multiverse suggests we are not alone.
- Physicists are debating whether the multiverse theory can ever be proven by observing the cosmic microwave background.
- If the multiverse theory is correct, then every possible outcome of every decision exists simultaneously in a different branch of reality, challenging our traditional understanding of probability.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.