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multifarious

- 5 dictionary results

mul⋅ti⋅far⋅i⋅ous

  [muhl-tuh-fair-ee-uhs]
Use multifarious in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having many different parts, elements, forms, etc.
2. numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold: multifarious activities.
Origin:
1585–95; < LL multifārius many-sided, manifold, equiv. to L multifāri(am) on many sides + -us adj. suffix (see -ous ); see multi-, bifarious

Related forms:
mul⋅ti⋅far⋅i⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
mul⋅ti⋅far⋅i⋅ous⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To multifarious
mul·ti·far·i·ous   (mŭl'tə-fâr'ē-əs)   
adj.  Having great variety; diverse. See Synonyms at versatile.

[From Latin multifāriam, in many places : multi-, multi- + -fāriam, adv. suff.; see dhē- in Indo-European roots.]
mul'ti·far'i·ous·ly adv., mul'ti·far'i·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Multifarious

Mul`ti*fa"ri*ous\, a. [L. multifarius; multus much, many. Cf. Bifarious.]

1. Having multiplicity; having great diversity or variety; of various kinds; diversified; made up of many differing parts; manifold.

There is a multifarious artifice in the structure of the meanest animal. --Dr. H. More.

2. (Bot.) Having parts, as leaves, arranged in many vertical rows.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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multifarious 
1593, from L. multifarius "manifold," from multifariam "in many places or parts," perhaps originally "that which can be expressed in many ways," from multi- "many" + -fariam "parts," perhaps from fas "utterance, expression, manifestation," related to fari "to speak" (see fame).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: mul·ti·far·i·ous
Pronunciation: "m&l-ti-'far-E-&s
Function: adjective
: having or occurring in great variety : DIVERSE; also : uniting usually in an improper way distinct and independent matters, subjects, or causes multifarious, and we must break it down for analysis: a) the alleged reformation of the decree; and b) the order that appellant pay —Spradley v. Hutchison, 787 South Western Reporter, Second Series 214 (1990)> —compare MISJOINDER —mul·ti·far·i·ous·ness noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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