What does "multiply" mean?
Multiply: (Math.) To add (any given number or quantity) to itself a certain number of times; to find the product of by multiplication; thus 7 multiplied by 8 produces the number 56; to multiply two numbers. See the Note under Multiplication.
Additional senses
- 2.To increase (the amount of gold or silver) by the arts of alchemy. [Obs.] Multiplying gear (Mach.), gear for increasing speed. -- Multiplying lens. (Opt.) See under Lens.
- 3.To become greater in number; to become numerous. When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. Gen. vi.
- 4.2. To increase in extent and influence; to spread. The word of God grew and multiplied. Acts xii.
- 5.3. To increase amount of gold or silver by the arts of alchemy. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-multiply-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00