Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “multiplication” come from?

Multiplication comes from Old French multiplicacion, from Latin multiplicatio, derived from Latin multus (many) and plico (to fold), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European mel- (to fold or grind).

multiplication (English): The process of computing the sum of a number with...

Definitions

  1. The process of computing the sum of a number with...

Ancestry of “multiplication”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchmultiplicacion—
2Latinmultiplicatiomultiplication
3Latin-tiō—
4Latindissertātiō—
5Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
6Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
7Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
8Latincalceusshoe
9Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
10Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “multiplication”

  • premultiplication
  • postmultiplication
  • photomultiplication
  • comultiplication
  • multiplicational
  • remultiplication
  • cross-multiplication
  • pseudomultiplication
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →