multiplex

adjective mul·ti·plex \ ˈməl-tə-ˌpleks \

|Updated on: 9 Aug 2018

Definition of multiplex

1 : many, multiple

2 : being or relating to a system of transmitting several messages or signals simultaneously on the same circuit or channel

See multiplex defined for kids

Examples of multiplex in a Sentence

would sometimes experience multiplex moods in the course of a single day

Recent Examples of multiplex from the Web

But a detailed 1983 article about the decline of the drive-in, written by The Chronicle’s John Stanley, gave data and testimonials that suggested the multiplex theater was the largest culprit for failing drive-ins.

— peter hartlaub, SFChronicle.com, "SF almost had a Sutro Drive-In in 1950, and more local outdoor movie history," 13 July 2018
Her two other children toddle beside her and Lavelle, her husband, headed for the welcoming chill of a multiplex matinee.

— simon montlake, The Christian Science Monitor, "For three families, Tulsa experiment offers chance to grasp American dream," 3 July 2018
Are multiplex audiences too jaded to appreciate its bizarre, slow-building atmospheric tension?

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "Why is 'Hereditary' such a hit with critics — and an apparent flop with audiences?," 11 June 2018
The question is how relevant the ratings are in a world where the principal gatekeepers are not parents or multiplex workers but algorithms and passwords — where a different kind of code controls what can be seen by whom.

— New York Times, "Dystopia, Apocalypse, Culture War: 2018 or 1968?," 17 May 2018
Harkins Theaters has replicated the large screen curtained experience in two multiplex locations.

— azcentral, "Iconic Arizona businesses that are closed," 4 Nov. 2014
In multiplex terms, that's a trend toward individual movie purchases, not theater subscriber fees.

— steven zeitchik, chicagotribune.com, "Why MoviePass' innovations could outlive the company," 11 May 2018
The pull of the Oscars toward smaller, independent movies rather than multiplex blockbusters has already hurt the show, said Marty Kaplan, the Norman Lear professor of entertainment, media and society at the University of Southern California.

— amy chozick, New York Times, "The Resistance Has Come to Celebrity Award Shows," 29 Jan. 2018
That was the latest in asset sales, after the company unloaded its multiplex business in 2016.

— rhonda richford, The Hollywood Reporter, "Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Plans Layoffs Following 'Valerian' Losses," 15 Jan. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of multiplex

Latin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1606

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

multiplex Synonyms

Phrases

all kinds of, quite a few;

multiplex

verb

Definition of multiplex

multiplexed; multiplexing; multiplexes

transitive verb

: to send (messages or signals) by a multiplex system

intransitive verb

: to multiplex messages or signals

—

multiplexer

or less commonly multiplexor play \-ˌplek-sər\ noun

Recent Examples of multiplex from the Web

Why not cut out distributors completely by going straight to multiplex operators?

— brooks barnes, New York Times, "With ‘Logan Lucky,’ Soderbergh Hopes to Change Film’s Business Model," 31 July 2017

First Known Use of multiplex

1885

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

multiplex

noun

Definition of multiplex

: a complex that houses several movie theaters

See multiplex defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of multiplex from the Web

Unseasonably warm and sunny weather has also hurt returns, with Germans more likely to hit the beer gardens than the multiplex.

— scott roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, "German Box Office Drops 17 Percent in First Half," 4 July 2018
Village officials have envisioned the Arlington Downs redevelopment project, which is being developed by Springbank Real Estate Group, as an entertainment destination that also could include a hotel, a multiplex cinema, retail shops and restaurants.

— karen ann cullotta, chicagotribune.com, "New amusement center approved for Arlington Downs redevelopment project in Arlington Heights," 22 May 2018
But in addition to proximity to a neighborhood cinema (the Lake Zurich location also sits next to a multiplex), Highland Park shares with Lake Zurich a vibrant downtown and a community that supports its local businesses, Guili adds.

— donald liebenson, chicagotribune.com, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs: Beelow's NorthShore in Highland Park," 11 July 2018
Both movies have cracked the top 10 movies at the box office, ranking an 85-year-old justice and a deceased Presbyterian minister in multiplexes alongside Spandexed superheroes and supernatural thrillers.

— jake coyle, Detroit Free Press, "Mister Rogers and RBG are box office’s unexpected stars," 29 June 2018
Both movies have cracked the top 10 movies at the box office, ranking an 85-year-old justice and a deceased Presbyterian minister in multiplexes alongside Spandexed superheroes and supernatural thrillers.

— jake coyle, The Christian Science Monitor, "How two documentaries became summer box office hits," 28 June 2018
Yet, at least; with both characters headed to the multiplex, now could be the perfect time for these two titans to, finally, clash.

— graeme mcmillan, The Hollywood Reporter, "Who Is Morbius the Living Vampire?," 27 June 2018
The Rider’’ — have opened to critical acclaim, television has the sprawl to give these questions some serious consideration, and the flexibility to revive a genre that hasn’t been commercially viable at the multiplexes for years.

— scott tobias, BostonGlobe.com, "How TV has brought the western into the 21st century," 5 July 2018
The breakdown is 30 individual multiplex (apartment) units, 25 cottages and 15 duplexes.

— bill banks, ajc, "Plan for old UMCH property favors passive, ‘park-like’ green space," 30 June 2018