multiple

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adjective mul·ti·ple \ ˈməl-tə-pəl \

Updated on: 26 Jul 2017

Definition of multiple

1 :consisting of, including, or involving more than one

multiple births

multiple choices

2 :many, manifold

multiple achievements

He sufferred multiple injuries in the accident.

3 :shared by many

multiple ownership

4 :having numerous aspects or functions :various

life is very multiple; full of movements, facts, and news
—John Galsworthy

5 :being a group of terminals (see ²terminal 3) which make a circuit available at a number of points

6 :formed by coalescence of the ripening ovaries (see ovary 2) of several flowers

a multiple fruit

See multiple defined for English-language learners

See multiple defined for kids

Examples of multiple in a Sentence

She made multiple copies of the report.
a person of multiple achievements
He suffered multiple injuries in the accident.

Recent Examples of multiple from the Web

Her twin 5-year-old daughters, Makayla and Addison, were shot multiple times in the head, the coroner’s office said.

— alicia fabbre, Daily Southtown, "Mass remembers Joliet twins, mom who died in apparent murder-suicide," 30 Aug. 2017
TSA has multiple resources available to passengers to help them determine whether an item is permitted in carry-on baggage, checked baggage or not at all.

— ruth brown, idahostatesman, "Loaded firearm found at Boise Airport security checkpoint, marking 20th in 2017," 30 Aug. 2017
After multiple setbacks hampered his last two seasons, Huber was determined for a different outcome.

— dave melton, Post-Tribune, "Valparaiso's Collin Huber completes comeback, wins Rudy Skorupa invite," 26 Aug. 2017
But SpaceX scrapped the Falcon 1e program in 2011 to focus on new iterations of the Falcon 9, and following multiple delays and mishaps, the Formosat-5 mission was continually pushed back.

— jay bennett, Popular Mechanics, "SpaceX to Attempt Twelfth Launch of the Year," 24 Aug. 2017
At the end of every summer, Queen Elizabeth II makes her annual pilgrimage north to Scotland for a multiple week-long holiday at Balmoral Castle.

— caroline hallemann, Town & Country, "Inside the Royals' Favorite Scottish Getaway, Balmoral Castle," 24 Aug. 2017
For example, some inmates who are serving sentences for multiple offenses won't be affected.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "This Week in Voter Suppression," 24 Aug. 2017
In fact, a quick search on the internet will place Woodside and his weird signs at multiple campaign rallies for Trump, and even some protests.

— sydney scott, Essence.com, "Whose Mans Is This? The Real Story Behind That One Black Trump Supporter," 24 Aug. 2017
Prosciutto & Arugula Salty prosciutto, peppery arugula, and shaved Grana Padano cheese give this pizza multiple layers of flavor, which are all heightened by hints of lemon and olive oil.

— steffi victorioso, Los Angeles Magazine, "Every Pizza at Pizzanista!, Ranked," 23 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'multiple.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of multiple

French, from Latin multiplex, from multi- + -plex -fold — more at -fold

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1647

See Words from the same year

multiple Synonyms

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

multiple

noun

Definition of multiple

1 a :the product of a quantity by an integer

35 is a multiple of 7

b :something in units of more than one or two

2 :parallel 4b

3 chiefly British :chain store

See multiple defined for English-language learners

Examples of multiple in a Sentence

35 is a multiple of 7.
12 is a multiple of 6.

Recent Examples of multiple from the Web

There are a lot more ways multiples of 60 can be divided into fractions, which makes trigonometry much easier.

— avery thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Researchers Discover Babylonian Tablet Is Ancient Trig Table," 25 Aug. 2017
Fox News spent last week broadcasting multiple tearful breakdowns from talking heads.

— john hendrickson, Esquire, "John Oliver Calls Bullsh*t on a 'Turning Point' in the Trump Presidency," 21 Aug. 2017
The water and wastewater company priced the debt beneath its 6.3 level of leverage, which measures debt as a multiple of earnings.

— sally bakewell, Bloomberg.com, "This Is an Outrage, Junk Market Says. Everyone Buys Anyway," 1 Aug. 2017
Forbes noted Maniscalco is frequently on tour and played more than 100 gigs in the past year, including multiple shows at the Chicago Theatre in November.

— tracy swartz, chicagotribune.com, "Arlington Heights native Sebastian Maniscalco lands on Forbes list of highest-paid comedians," 27 July 2017
Lawrence is coming off a one sack season and has had multiple back surgeries, which makes his market tough to gauge at this point.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "Cowboys want to lock up Zack Martin long term in camp," 23 July 2017
ALEKS, meanwhile, eschews multiple-choice questions.

— The Economist, "EdtechTechnology is transforming what happens when a child goes to school," 22 July 2017
Wittgren had given up multiple runs only once in 25 previous relief appearances.

— andre c. fernandez, miamiherald, "Marlins can’t overcome latest low-hit output in 5-3 loss to Cubs," 24 June 2017
Five of the last six multiple-casualty terrorist attacks in Western Europe have used trucks, vans or SUVs that are driven into public crowds, sometimes over long stretches before the attackers are brought to a stop.

— sam petulla, NBC News, "Vehicles Are Becoming the Weapons of Choice for Terrorists," 7 June 2017

Origin and Etymology of multiple

see ¹multiple

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1660

See Words from the same year

Financial Definition of MULTIPLE

multiple

noun

What It Is

A multiple is a relative valuation metric used to estimate the value of a stock.

How It Works

Let's look at an example to illustrate the concept.

Assume that Big Store's stock is trading at $14 and the company's earnings per share (EPS) is $2. Therefore, Big Store's price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is $14/$2 = 7. This number -- "7" -- is known as a multiple.

Here's how you could use it in your analysis:

Assume the average P/E ratio for the companies in Big Store's industry is 10. By applying the average industry multiple to Big Store's earnings per share (EPS), you can estimate the price Big Store "should" be trading at a higher price. Here's the calculation:

Price = EPS * Multiple

Price = $2 * 10 = $20

In this example, it appears that Big Store's stock price should be trading at $20 instead of $14. If your analysis is correct, you would want to buy the company today and wait for the price to adjust to where it "should" be, locking in a healthy $6 gain.

Why It Matters

You can apply a multiple to any number of performance measures, but some of the most common include EPS, EBITDA, book value and revenue.

Investors use multiples to gain some insight into whether a company's stock price is too high or too low.

Multiples are quick, but limited tools for stock analysis. They can provide a snapshot of a stock’s potential without getting bogged down in the details of the financial statements.

Unfortunately, most of the useful details are in the financial statements. For example, Big Store may trade at a lower multiple relative to its peers because it isn't growing as fast. Or perhaps its management team is not as effective. If you only use the earnings multiple to estimate the stock's intrinsic value, you're working without 99.9% of the available information.

The bottom line is that multiples can be complementary tools in your financial toolbox. However, they should never be the only tools you use.

Source: Investing Answers

MULTIPLE Defined for English Language Learners

multiple

play

adjective

Definition of multiple for English Language Learners

: more than one
: shared by many people

multiple

noun

Definition of multiple for English Language Learners

mathematics : a number that can be produced by multiplying a smaller number

MULTIPLE Defined for Kids

multiple

play

adjective mul·ti·ple \ ˈməl-tə-pəl \

Definition of multiple for Students

:being or consisting of more than one

We need multiple copies.

multiple

noun

Definition of multiple for Students

:the number found by multiplying one number by another

35 is a multiple of 7.

Medical Dictionary

multiple

play

adjective mul·ti·ple \ ˈməl-tə-pəl \

medical Definition of multiple

1 :consisting of, including, or involving more than one

multiple births

2 :affecting many parts of the body at once

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multiple

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