Multitude
/ˈmʌl.tɪ.tjuːd/noun
A large number of people or things.
Did you know?Multitude comes from Latin *multitudo*, built from *multus* meaning “much” or “many,” so its power is numerical, not mystical — but it has long carried the feeling of overwhelming abundance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mel-
“A root associated with being large, many, or numerous.”
Latin
Latin
multus
“Much; many.”
Latin
Latin
multitūdō
“A great number; a crowd; multitude.”
Old French
Old French
multitude
“A great number; a crowd of people.”
Middle English
English
multitude
“A large number of persons or things.”
Modern English
English
multitude
“A large number of people or things.”