The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook

multiply

IPA:

Dictionary definition of multiply

To increase or reproduce in number or quantity.
"The bacteria in the petri dish began to multiply rapidly."

Detailed meaning of multiply

It involves the process of adding or combining multiple instances or units of something to create a larger total or result. When applied to numbers, multiplying entails performing a mathematical operation to determine the product of two or more numbers. Beyond mathematics, the verb "multiply" can also describe the act of propagating, replicating, or proliferating. This can apply to various contexts, such as living organisms reproducing and giving birth to offspring, cells dividing and multiplying in biological processes, or ideas and information spreading rapidly through various channels. Additionally, "multiply" can signify the growth or expansion of quantities, such as population size, economic output, or the number of options or possibilities. Overall, the term "multiply" conveys the notion of increasing or amplifying the quantity, scope, or magnitude of something.

Example sentences containing multiply

1. Please multiply the numbers in column A by the corresponding numbers in column B.
2. It's important to learn how to multiply fractions correctly.
3. Can you multiply these two matrices for me?
4. The teacher asked the students to multiply two-digit numbers in their heads.
5. Remember to multiply the length by the width to find the area of the rectangle.
6. Don't forget to multiply the recipe ingredients if you're cooking for more people.

History and etymology of multiply

The verb 'multiply' traces its origins to the Middle English word 'multiplien,' which, in turn, can be attributed to the Old French term 'multiplier.' The Old French word derives from the Latin 'multiplicare,' where 'multi-' denotes 'many' and 'plicare' means 'to fold' or 'to bend.' Thus, etymologically, 'multiply' conveys the idea of increasing or reproducing in number or quantity by folding or bending something into many parts, analogous to the concept of multiplying numbers by adding them repeatedly. This etymological insight illuminates the fundamental notion of amplification and expansion associated with the verb 'multiply.'

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Further usage examples of multiply

1. The calculator can quickly multiply large numbers.
2. She can mentally multiply numbers faster than anyone I know.
3. I need to multiply the cost per unit by the quantity to find the total cost.
4. The child used his fingers to help him multiply.
5. It's amazing how quickly computers can multiply large sets of data.
6. You can use the distributive property to multiply two binomials.
7. Multiply the number of pages by the cost per page to calculate the total printing cost.
8. The cashier had to multiply the price per item by the quantity for each customer.
9. When you multiply a negative number by a negative number, the result is positive.
10. The student struggled to understand how to multiply decimals.
11. She can mentally multiply numbers up to three digits.
12. Multiply the weight by the acceleration to find the force.
13. The math test required us to multiply fractions and mixed numbers.
14. If you multiply a number by zero, the result is always zero.