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multiplicity

American  
[muhl-tuh-plis-i-tee] / ˌmʌl təˈplɪs ɪ ti /

noun

plural

multiplicities

  1. a large number or variety.

    a multiplicity of errors.

  2. the state of being multiplex or manifold; manifold variety.

multiplicity British  
/ ˌmʌltɪˈplɪsɪtɪ /

noun

  1. a large number or great variety

  2. the state of being multiple

  3. physics

    1. the number of levels into which the energy of an atom, molecule, or nucleus splits as a result of coupling between orbital angular momentum and spin angular momentum

    2. the number of elementary particles in a multiplet

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does multiplicity mean? Multiplicity most commonly means a large number or a great variety.It is the noun form of the adjective multiple, meaning more than one or several. It can also mean the state of being multiple.Multiplicity is used in more specific ways in several different scientific fields, but all of them have to do with multiple instances of things.Example: When designing a craft for space travel, you have to consider a multiplicity of issues.

Etymology

Origin of multiplicity

1580–90; < Late Latin multiplicitās, equivalent to multiplic- (stem of multiplex ) multiplex + -itās -ity

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.