multitude

/ˈmʌltɪtjuːd/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmʌltɪtuːd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈməl-tə-ˌtüd -ˌtyüd/ (ame, mw)

multitude — noun

1. a count of people or objects that is extremely high — for example, a multitude o

1.名詞B2
釋義

a count of people or objects that is extremely high — for example, a multitude of stars in the sky or a multitude of problems after a disaster.

例句

A multitude of stars filled the night sky above the village.

a multitude of + noun phrase as subject

The public library on Elm Street has a multitude of books on Asian history.

同義詞
  • myriad

    suggests an uncountably vast number; often used attributively ('myriad reasons')

  • host

    a large organized group; slightly literary or poetic in tone

  • abundance

    emphasizes plentiful supply; often positive in connotation

反義詞

文法句型

a multitude of + noun

用法筆記

Always used in the singular with the indefinite article 'a' and followed by 'of'. Cannot be used without a noun after 'of'.

常見錯誤

❌There were multitude people at the market.
✅There were a multitude of people at the market.
💡'multitude' requires the article 'a' and the preposition 'of' before the noun it modifies.

2. a large group of people gathered together in one place — for example, a multitud

2.名詞B2
釋義

a large group of people gathered together in one place — for example, a multitude waiting outside a stadium, or a multitude filling a town square.

例句

A vast multitude gathered in the town square to hear the mayor speak.

adjective + multitude describing a physical crowd

The politician walked through the multitude, shaking hands with supporters along the way.

同義詞
  • crowd

    more common, everyday word for a group of people gathered together

  • throng

    a dense, tightly packed crowd; slightly literary

  • horde

    a large group, often with negative connotations of being threatening or disordered

文法句型

adjective + multitude

the + multitude

用法筆記

This sense emphasizes physical co-presence in a specific location. Unlike sense 3, it refers to a single concrete gathering, not a dispersed population.

常見錯誤

❌I saw multitudes in the market today.' (when referring to a single crowd)
✅I saw a multitude in the market today.
💡For one specific physical gathering, use the singular 'a multitude'.

3. very big groups of people considered across different places or across time, not

3.名詞B2
釋義

very big groups of people considered across different places or across time, not as one specific gathering — such as multitudes who leave their homes to find work in other cities, or multitudes who travel to an annual festival from far away.

例句

Multitudes came to the coastal city looking for work during the dry season.

multitudes (plural) for dispersed large groups

The annual mango festival attracts multitudes from all over the island.

同義詞
  • masses

    large numbers of ordinary people; can also mean 'the masses' as a social group

  • thousands

    more concrete and specific; often used literally

文法句型

multitudes of + noun

multitudes + verb

用法筆記

Used in the plural form 'multitudes', often with 'of' before a noun. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3 refers to large numbers of people in general (not necessarily gathered in one place), whereas sense 2 refers to a specific physical crowd.

常見錯誤

❌Multitudes of dust covered the furniture.
✅Multitudes of people lined the streets.
💡'multitudes' refers only to people, not to objects or substances.

4. the ordinary people of a society, considered as a whole and distinguished from t

4.名詞C1
釋義

the ordinary people of a society, considered as a whole and distinguished from the wealthy, powerful, or elite classes — for example, a government serving the multitude rather than the rich, or entertainment made for the multitude.

例句

The film was made to entertain the multitude, not just the critics.

the multitude = ordinary people as a social group

The new tax policy will affect the multitude far more than the very wealthy.

同義詞
  • the masses

    similar meaning but more common in political and social contexts

  • the populace

    the people of a country or region; formal

  • the common people

    more transparent but less concise; emphasizes lack of privilege

反義詞
  • the elite

    a small powerful group at the top of society

  • the aristocracy

    the highest social class, typically with inherited titles

文法句型

the multitude

用法筆記

Used with the definite article 'the' as a collective singular noun. This sense is formal or literary in register. The contrast is typically with 'the elite', 'the rich', or 'the critics'.

常見錯誤

❌The multitudes are often ignored by politicians.' (when referring to ordinary people as a social class)
✅The multitude is often ignored by politicians.
💡Use the singular 'multitude' with 'the' when referring to common people as a collective social group.