multi

¹

[muhl-tee, -tahy]

noun

plural

multis 

1. a pattern of several colors or hues, usually in stripes.

   This dress comes in pink or green multi.

adjective

1. multicolored.

multi-

²

1. a combining form meaning “many,” “much,” “multiple,” “many times,” “more than one,” “more than two,” “composed of many like parts,” “in many respects,” used in the formation of compound words.

   multiply; multivitamin.

multi-

combining form

1. many or much

   multiflorous

   multimillion

2. more than one

   multiparous

   multistorey

multi–

1. A prefix that means “many” or “much,” as in multicellular, having many cells.

Word History and Origins

Origin of multi-¹

By shortening of multicolor or multicolored

Origin of multi-²

Middle English < Latin, combining form of multus much, many

Word History and Origins

Origin of multi-¹

from Latin multus much, many

Example Sentences

The healthiness of skin is multi factorial – lifestyle, environment, stress levels, diet and exercise regime all play into how our skin ages.

From BBC

As Mr Tryl puts it, "In the age of very fragmented multi party politics, small vote shares can deliver outsized results".

From BBC

"It's basically like if you have a multi fruit juice with orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice, the objective of the liquid separation unit will be to separate apple juice on one side, orange juice on the other side, and so on."

From BBC

Yusuf is a self-made multi millionaire after setting up and then selling Velocity Black, a luxury concierge service.

From BBC

In a spacious meeting room, Fracisco Lobos, the chief corporate officer for the plant's owner – salmon-exporter Multi X – explains how farming the fish has transformed the south of Chile.

From BBC

When To Use

What does multi- mean?

Multi- is a combining form used like a prefix with a variety of meanings, including “many; much; multiple.” It is often used in scientific and technical terms.Multi- comes from Latin multus, meaning “much” and “many.” The Greek equivalent of multus is polýs, also meaning both “much” and “many,” which is the source of the combining form poly-. To learn more, check out our Words That Use article about poly-.What are variants of multi-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, multi- becomes mult-, as in multangular, from Latin multangulus. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about mult-.