multi-word

IPA/ˌmʌlti ˈwɜːd/
IPA/ˌmʌlti ˈwɜːrd/

multi-word — adjective

1. describing a grammatical unit — such as a phrasal verb, compound noun, or fixed

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a grammatical unit — such as a phrasal verb, compound noun, or fixed expression — that is formed from two or more individual words working together as a single meaning-bearing element.

Example

Yara highlighted every multi-word verb she found in the reading passage.

collocation: multi-word verb

Multi-word expressions such as 'look forward to' appear often in business emails.

collocation: multi-word expressions

Common collocations
  • multi-word verb
  • multi-word expression
  • multi-word unit
  • multi-word compound
  • multi-word phrase
  • multi-word lexeme
Synonyms
  • multiword

    identical meaning; the unhyphenated variant is less frequent in edited writing

  • compound

    narrower scope — refers only to words formed from two roots (e.g. 'toothbrush'), not to phrasal verbs or longer expressions

  • phrasal

    restricted to verb + particle combinations; a subset of multi-word units

Antonyms
  • single-word

    the opposite concept: consisting of exactly one word

  • one-word

    equivalent to 'single-word'; less common as a hyphenated adjective

Grammar Patterns

multi-word + noun (linguistic term)

Usage Note

Nearly always used attributively before a noun that names a linguistic category (e.g. verb, expression, unit, compound). The alternative spelling multiword (without hyphen) occurs but is less common.

Common Mistakes

The dictionary lists multi-words verbs as separate entries.
The dictionary lists multi-word verbs as separate entries.
When used as an adjective before a noun, 'multi-word' stays singular and hyphenated; 'multi-words' (plural) is incorrect.

Word family

  • multiword expression
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Multi-word describes any grammatical unit formed from two or more separate words, including compounds, phrasal verbs, and fixed expressions. Compound (adj.) refers to words made of two roots written as one unit (e.g. 'toothbrush') or hyphenated ('well-known'), making it narrower because it excludes phrasal verbs like 'give up'. Phrasal (adj.) applies specifically to verb–particle combinations ('turn off', 'look after') and is a subset of multi-word units. Multiword (without hyphen) is a less common variant spelling of multi-word with the same meaning. For example, a teacher might say 'multi-word verb' to include both phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs, while 'compound verb' refers only to verbs formed from two roots (e.g. 'to babysit').

multi-word ↗compound ↗phrasalmultiword

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

LatinOld EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the prefix 'multi-' (from Latin multus, meaning 'many') with the noun 'word' (from Old English word). The hyphenated adjective pattern follows similar formations such as 'multi-syllable' and 'multi-purpose'. First recorded in linguistic writing in the mid-20th century as English grammarians began classifying verb structures like phrasal verbs as distinct multi-word units.