3 syllables: mul, ti, ply. Stress on mul.
MUHL-tuh-pleye
/ˈmʌltəˌplaɪ/
multiply is pronounced MUHL-tuh-pleye (/ˈmʌltəˌplaɪ/). It has three syllables (mul-ti-ply), with the stress on "mul". Multiply means to increase something by a factor or to reproduce another set of items. It is a verb (often used in math) and can also describe the growth of things in number or amount. The word combines a sense of replication with arithmetic scaling, typically stressing the second syllable in common usage.
Multiply means to increase something by a factor or to reproduce another set of items. It is a verb (often used in math) and can also describe the growth of things in number or amount. The word combines a sense of replication with arithmetic scaling, typically stressing the second syllable in common usage.
"In math class, we multiply 6 by 7 to get 42."
"The bacteria multiplied quickly in the warm environment."
"If you multiply the ingredients, you’ll get enough for the whole party."
Say MUL-ti-PLY with primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈmʌl.tɪ.plaɪ/. The middle syllable carries a light, quick /tɪ/ with a concise, clipped release into the final /plaɪ/. Keep the /l/ clear but not overly fronted; the final /aɪ/ should be open and high-fronted. Listen to native pronunciation: practice with audio sources to hear the subtle vowel duration and the transition between /t/ and /p/ in rapid speech.
Common errors include misplacing the stress (saying mul- ti-PLY with second-stress), overemphasizing the middle syllable, and mispronouncing the final /aɪ/ as a short /ɪ/ or /iː/. Correct by maintaining primary stress on the first syllable, producing a clean /t/ before /ɪ/ and smoothly gliding into /plaɪ/. Practice with minimal pairs like /ˈmʌl.tɪ.plaɪ/ versus /ˈmʌl.ti.plɪ/ to solidify the final diphthong and syllable boundaries.
In US and AU accents, the final /aɪ/ is a clear diphthong with an audible glide to a high front vowel; rhotic speakers may pronounce the /r/ in connected speech elsewhere, but not in multiply as there is no /r/. In many UK accents, the final diphthong remains /aɪ/, but the preceding /tɪ/ can be shorter and the /ɪ/ closer to a near-close front vowel. Australian speech is rhotic in some contexts but often features a slightly more centralized /ɪ/ and a broader /aɪ/ trajectory. Overall, the core /ˈmʌl.tɪ.plaɪ/ structure remains consistent; modest vowel quality shifts happen.
Three phonetic challenges: the triplet rhythm of three syllables with a fast transition from the unaccented middle to the final /plaɪ/; the light /t/ release before /ɪ/ and the nearly glottal-like closure before /plaɪ/ in rapid speech. The /ʌ/ in the first syllable is a short, open back vowel that can be easily reduced in casual speech. Keep the word crisp with a clear onset for MUL, a clean /t/ release, and an unambiguous /plaɪ/ to avoid slurring.
The cluster boundary between the middle /tɪ/ and the final /plaɪ/ can blur in fast speech; ensure you articulate the /t/ with a full release and start of /p/ in the final syllable, avoiding a single /pl/ sweep. Also, maintain the syllable boundary after the second syllable so listeners hear three distinct parts: MUL - tI - PLY, not a compressed two-syllable form.
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Multiply traces back to Latin multiplicitātem via late Latin multiplicitās, from Latin multus meaning 'much' and plicāre meaning 'to fold' or 'to bend.' The root mali? The path: Latin multus (much) + plicāre (to fold) evolved into Latin multiplicitās (multiplicity), indicating a quantity of many folds or parts. Old French borrowed the term as multiplier before entering Middle English as multiply in the 14th–15th centuries. The sense shifted from “to fold into many parts” to “to increase in number by a factor” as mathematics developed. Over time, multiply became standard mathematical terminology for repeated addition and scaling, while also extending metaphorically to proliferation in biology, technology, and data. The word maintains the core idea of multiplication — creating more of something by a factor — and has retained its form with minimal phonetic changes across centuries. First known use in English appears in scholastic mathematical texts from the 15th century. Today, multiply is a common verb in both educational and everyday contexts, with precise mathematical use alongside broader metaphorical phrases like “multiply the opportunities.”
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "multiply" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "multiply"
-ply sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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