adj.
Pronunciation: ˌ m ə l-t ē - ' v ā -l ə nt, - ˌ t ī -, esp in sense 3 ˌ m ə l- ' ti-v ə -
Function: adjective
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
Date: 1869
1 : POLYVALENT
2 : represented more than twice in the somatic chromosome number < multivalent chromosomes>
3 : having many values, meanings, or appeals
– multivalent noun