n.
Pronunciation: ˌ m ə l-t ə - ' pli-s ə -t ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ties
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French multiplicité, from Late Latin multiplicitat-, multiplicitas, from Latin multiplic-, multiplex
Date: 15th century
1 a : the quality or state of being multiple or various b : the number of components in a system (as a multiplet or a group of energy levels)
2 : a great number
3 : the number of times a root of an equation or zero of a function occurs when there is more than one root or zero <the multiplicity of x = 2 for the equation ( x - 2) 3 = 0 is 3>