Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “multiple” come from?

Multiple comes from French multiple, from Latin multiplus and multiplex, derived from Latin multus meaning "many," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mel- or mey-.

multiple (English): More than one; Having more than one element,...

Definitions

  1. More than one; Having more than one element,...

Ancestry of “multiple”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchmultiplemultiple; Multiple
2Latinmultiplexhaving many folds; manifold, numerous; complex
3Latinmultusmuch; many
4Proto-Italicmoltos—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanml̥tóscrumbled, crumpled
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “multiple”

  • multiplet
  • submultiple
  • multiplist
  • multiplism
  • multiplepoinding
  • supermultiplet
  • equimultiple
  • multipleness
  • isomultiplet
  • hypermultiplet
  • circummultiple
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →