multi-
multi- comb. form of L. multus much, many; the earliest comps. in Eng. are multiformity, multiloquy (XVI) talkativeness, multifarious (XVII) many and various (L. -fāriam adv.), and the el. becomes prolific later, esp. in techn. use, e.g. multilateral, multinomial (after BINOMIAL) XVII; an ex. of the gen. use is multi-millionaire (XIX).
multi-
multi- • comb. form more than one; many, esp. variegated: multicolor multicultural.
More From encyclopedia.com
poly- , poly- repr Gr. polu-, comb. form of polús, polú much, pl. polloi many (cf. FULL); in many techn. terms. polyanthus XVIII. modL. (Gr. ánthos flower).… enamelware , e·nam·el·ware / iˈnaməlˌwer/ • n. enameled kitchenware. chela , che·la1 / ˈkēlə/ • n. (pl. -lae / -lē; -lī/ ) Zool. a pincerlike claw, esp. of a crab or other crustacean. Compare with chelicera. che·la2 / ˈchālä/… -ism , -ISM
-ISM. A noun-forming SUFFIX, three of whose uses relate to language: (1) Forming words for concepts, activities, and conditions: agrammatism, bi… -ated , bi- repr. L. bi- (earlier dui- = Gr. di-, Skr. dvi-) twice, doubly, two-, in L. chiefly in adj. formations on sb. stems, as BICEPS, bicolor of two co… Alum , alum (ăl´əm), any one of a series of isomorphous double salts that are hydrated sulfates of a univalent cation (e.g., potassium, sodium, ammonium, ce…
About this article
multi-
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
multi-