multi-use

IPA/ˌmʌl.tiˈjuːs/
IPA/ˌmʌl.tiˈjuːs/

multi-use — adjective

1. made so that it can do many different jobs or be used for many different reasons

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

made so that it can do many different jobs or be used for many different reasons, instead of just one.

Example

The school built a multi-use hall for sports, concerts, and exam days.

before noun: multi-use [building] used for several activities

Tomás bought a multi-use cleaning spray that works on glass, wood, and tiles.

multi-use + product that suits many tasks

Common collocations
  • multi-use building
  • multi-use space
  • multi-use tool
  • multi-use facility
Synonyms
  • multipurpose

    very close in meaning; slightly more common after 'be'

  • versatile

    stresses that one thing can adapt to many situations, not only many fixed uses

  • all-purpose

    suggests it works well for general everyday tasks

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

multi-use + noun

Usage Note

Almost always used before a noun (a multi-use building, a multi-use tool). It rarely appears after 'be'; to say something has many uses after the verb, learners switch to 'is multipurpose' or 'has many uses'.

Common Mistakes

This room is very multi-use.
This is a multi-use room.
'multi-use' normally sits before the noun, not after 'be' with a grading word like 'very'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe something useful in more than one way, but they differ in feel. 'Multi-use' and 'multipurpose' are almost interchangeable and usually come before a noun; 'multi-use' leans towards spaces and facilities (a multi-use hall), while 'multipurpose' fits tools and products (a multipurpose cleaner). 'Versatile' shifts the focus to one thing that adapts easily to many situations — a versatile actor, a versatile fabric — and it sounds like praise. 'All-purpose' suggests broad, everyday usefulness rather than several distinct designed functions, as in all-purpose flour. So you build a multi-use sports centre, you buy a multipurpose knife, you admire a versatile player, and you reach for all-purpose glue.

multi-use ↗multipurpose ↗versatile ↗all-purpose ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • multi-use development
  • multi-use design

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

A modern compound formed in English by adding the prefix 'multi-' (meaning 'many') to the noun 'use'. 'Multi-' comes from Latin 'multus', meaning 'much' or 'many', and 'use' came into English through Old French from Latin 'usus'. The pattern of joining 'multi-' to an everyday word to mean 'having many of' became popular in the twentieth century, giving us words like multi-storey and multi-use.