multilingual

adjective

mul·​ti·​lin·​gual ˌməl-tē-ˈliŋ-gwəl 

-ˈliŋ-gyə-wəl,

-ˌtī-

1

: of, having, or expressed in several languages

a multilingual sign

multilingual dictionaries

2

: using or able to use several languages especially with equal fluency

multilingual translators

multilingualism

ˌməl-tē-ˈliŋ-gwə-ˌli-zəm 

-gyə-wə-

-ˌtī-

noun

multilingually

ˌməl-tē-ˈliŋ-gwə-lē 

-gyə-wə-lē

-ˌtī-

adverb

Did you know?

The roots of multilingual come from Latin. If you happen to prefer Greek, use the synonym polyglot, in which poly- has the same meaning as multi-, and -glot means the same thing as -lingual. The best way to become multilingual is probably to be born in a bilingual (two-language) household; learning those first two seems to give the mind the kind of exercise that makes later language-learning easy.

Examples of multilingual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are two Indias – the relatively small, but globally visible, English-speaking India, and the vast, multilingual and increasingly affluent and aspirational Bharat (the ancient Sanskrit name for the country), where the growth will come from. —Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024

That’s a tough task in any country, but especially in India, with its multiethnic, multilingual, billion-person population, including many without computers, internet access, and even electricity. —Maju Kuruvilla, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2023

Not just from the multilingual customer support team – available 24/7 through the live chat function – but with the FAQ help section and Jackpot City’s blog as well. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024

Ignition Casino is also multilingual; players can translate site text into three different languages. —Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024

And so the importance of thinking through multilingual education and design is really important. —Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 4 Jan. 2024

Judges submit their evaluations via tablets, and their multilingual notes—drawn from a selection of eight languages—are analyzed by Winespace. —Jill Barth, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

Another major challenge unique to JCPS is its stark increase in what the district calls multilingual learners, more commonly known as English language learners. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 20 Feb. 2024

Born in Italy to Chilean parents and raised between Sweden and Rome before moving to the U.S. for film school, the multilingual exec has been a force on the indie film scene since her first job, straight out of UCLA, for Mark Damon’s MDP Worldwide. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1