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multiple

adjective
mul·​ti·​ple | \ ˈməl-tə-pəl How to pronounce multiple (audio) \

Definition of multiple

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : consisting of, including, or involving more than one multiple births multiple choices
2 : many, manifold multiple achievements He suffered 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 terminal entry 2 sense 3) which make a circuit available at a number of points
6 : formed by coalescence of the ripening ovaries (see ovary sense 2) of several flowers a multiple fruit

multiple

noun

Definition of multiple (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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 sense 4b
3 chiefly British : chain store
Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about multiple

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Examples of multiple in a Sentence

Adjective

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

Noun

 35 is a multiple of 7. 12 is a multiple of 6.
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Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

 Police said a woman in her 30s was shot through the window of a residence in the 500 block of Prospect Place around 6:30 p.m. Shots came from outside and multiple rounds went into the home, according to police. — Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati.com, "Police: Woman killed in Avondale shooting, homicide unit on scene," 11 Sep. 2019 Premier Sports and La Liga have announced a historic partnership that will see every top flight Spanish game broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland via multiple platforms for the next three years until the end of the 2021/22 season. — SI.com, "Premier Sports Announces 3-Year UK Partnership With La Liga & Launch of Dedicated LaLigaTV Channel," 10 Sep. 2019 Investigators say Oh struck the victim multiple times with a brick then called 911 to report the murder. — N'dea Yancey-bragg, USA TODAY, "Woman, 73, charged with killing her 82-year-old neighbor with brick at a home for seniors," 10 Sep. 2019 Aristo’s benchmark consists of a set of multiple-choice questions from the New York State Regents Exam in science. — Wired, "AI Can Pass Standardized Tests—But It Would Fail Preschool," 10 Sep. 2019 Tino has been honored with multiple photo awards, including the World Press Photo of the Year in 1999 and the grand prize at UNESCO’s 2015 Humanity Photo Awards. — National Geographic, "Tino Soriano," 10 Sep. 2019 Instead of navigating a digital frog safely across a road, players will be able to control their frog in multiple, colorful levels like a household bathroom. — Jonathan Vanian, Fortune, "Apple Arcade: Everything You Need to Know About the New Video Game Streaming Service," 10 Sep. 2019 It has been praised by multiple community groups as an affront to God. — Eddie Small, The New Yorker, "My Typical New York Day," 10 Sep. 2019 That electoral system, used in Maine, would allow Alaskans to pick multiple candidates on the statewide ballot. — James Brooks, Anchorage Daily News, "Supporters of election-reform ballot measure appeal rejection to courts," 10 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

 The plane hit multiple unoccupied vehicles around the shop, which is within a half-mile from the Ohio Turnpike. — Fox News, "Cargo plane crashes near Ohio airport, first responders battle 'significant fire'," 11 Sep. 2019 Authorities say the plane hit multiple unoccupied vehicles at an auto repair shop. — Cincinnati.com, "Toledo plane crash: 2 dead after cargo plane crashes, burns near airport," 11 Sep. 2019 Still, if California passed this type of law, other states could follow with similar laws, meaning the publisher might eventually obtain access to real players from multiples states. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "What Will Happen If the California 'Fair Pay to Play Act' Gets Signed Into Law?," 10 Sep. 2019 Yet the agency’s multiple web postings arguably have stoked consumer confusion. — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, "Column: Did the FTC mislead consumers about its Equifax data breach settlement? Yes!," 10 Sep. 2019 The company generally trades at high multiples relative to peers. — Anne Sraders, Fortune, "Bull vs. Bear: Can Slack Fend Off Microsoft and Recover from its Post-Listing Slump?," 5 Sep. 2019 His feelings traced to a runner’s interference call on Richie Martin in the third inning that potentially cost the Orioles multiple runs. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Brandon Hyde ejected, kicks dirt on home plate as Orioles miss out on doubleheader sweep with 2-0 loss to Rays," 4 Sep. 2019 There were multiple pitiful losses to Group of Five opponents. — John Talty | Jtalty@al.com, al, "The SEC’s shaky Saturday overshadows big wins," 1 Sep. 2019 Jenny had everything organized down to the last detail, including the outfits (yes, there were multiple) for herself, the Blue Bloods star, and even the wait staff, according to Page Six. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "Donnie Wahlberg’s Wife Jenny McCarthy Threw Him the Most Insane 50th Birthday Party," 21 Aug. 2019

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.

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First Known Use of multiple

Adjective

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for multiple

Adjective and Noun

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

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More Definitions for multiple

multiple

noun

Financial Definition of multiple

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 fin

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