5 syllables: Mul, ti, tu, di, nous. Stress on tu.
muhl-tit-OO-din-uhs
/mʌl.tɪˈtuː.dɪ.nəs/
Multitudinous is pronounced muhl-tit-OO-din-uhs (/mʌl.tɪˈtuː.dɪ.nəs/). It has five syllables (Mul-ti-tu-di-nous), with the stress on "tu". Multitudinous is an adjective describing a very large number or a great variety. It emphasizes abundance or myriad quantities, often in poetic or formal contexts. The word conveys sheer scale rather than precision, suggesting more than a dozen or more than many.
adjectiveMultitudinous is an adjective describing a very large number or a great variety. It emphasizes abundance or myriad quantities, often in poetic or formal contexts. The word conveys sheer scale rather than precision, suggesting more than a dozen or more than many.
"The auditorium was filled with multitudinous voices, each contributing to a chorus of sound."
"A multitudinous crowd gathered, making it impossible to move without bumping shoulders."
"The forest offered multitudinous shades of green, from pale lime to deep emerald."
Break it as mul-ti-tu-DI-nous, with primary stress on the third syllable: mul-ti-tu-DI-nous. IPA: US/UK/AU ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs. Start with /m/ bilabial, move to /ʌ/ as in 'strut', then /l/ light lip contact, then /t/ with a brief stop. The sequence /tu/ includes a light /uː/ sound; the key is the secondary stress on -tu- and the main stress on -dɪ-. End with /nəs/, making the last syllables lighter.
Two frequent errors: (1) Misplacing stress, saying mul-ti-TOO-din-us or mul-TI-tu-din-us. Ensure primary stress on DI as shown. (2) Slurring the -tu- segment or merging /tu/ with /də/ leading to /ˌmʌl.tɪˈdɪnəs/ instead of /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs/. Practice with slow repetition: mul-ti-tu-DI-nous; then faster while keeping the /t/ clearly released and the /ɪ/ distinct before /nəs/.
US/UK/AU share the /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs/ skeleton, but rhoticity matters: US is rhotic; UK typically non-rhotic, so post-vocalic /r/ is silent in non-rhotic speakers, though this word has no /r/. Vowel quality shifts: /ʌ/ in US vs some UK variants may be slightly closer to /ɜː/ in some accents; /ɪ/ before /d/ can be shorter in rapid UK speech. Australian tends to a tighter /ɐ/ or /ʌ/ with a more clipped /t/; keep /t/ crisp and avoid flapping in careful speech.
Two main challenges: long multisyllabic load and the consonant cluster around -tu- and -dous; you hold a three-syllable ascent before the final -dɪ.nəs. The combination of /t/ and /d/ near the vowel can invite mispronunciations like /ˌmʌl.tɪˈtuː.dɪ.nəs/ or /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuːˈnəs/. Focus on crisp /t/ release, distinct /dɪ/ before -nəs, and keeping the stress on the -dɪ- syllable to preserve rhythm.
In poetic or rhetorical usage, some speakers may lightly stress the -tu- syllable or adjust rhythm for meter, but standard pronunciation remains /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs/. In performance, you might slightly reduce the final -nəs or stretch -tu- for emphasis in lineation, but avoid changing the primary stress location. Always aim for audibly clear /tu/ and /dɪ/ sequences so meaning remains intact.
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US: rhotic, maintain clear /r/ in connected speech, though this word has no /r/. UK: non-rhotic; ensure post-vocalic 'r' is silent, keep vowels slightly longer before -dous. AU: more clipped, but maintain the three-stress rhythm; use a brighter /æ/ or /ɐ/ depending on speaker. IPA anchors: US /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs/, UK /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tjuˈdɪ.nəs/ (sometimes some speakers insert a /j/ before /u/ in rare readings), AU /ˌmʌl.tɪ.tuˈdɪ.nəs/. Practice by listening to native samples, then imitate with careful mouth positions.
Multitudinous comes from Middle English multitude, borrowed from Old French multitude, from Latin multitudō, from multi- ‘many’ + -tūdō (an abstract noun form related to liberty of number). The Latin root multitudī remained in literary usage to denote large numbers or a great crowd. The word evolved in English to carry the sense of not just many individuals, but a great variety or an enormous totality as an aggregate. The suffix -ous was added to form an adjective in the late medieval/early modern period, aligning with other English adjectives formed from nouns ending in -tūdō and -tude, such as multitudinous, numerous, and affluent. First known use in English appears from early modern dictionaries and literary texts, with increasing frequency in 16th–18th centuries as authors sought to convey vast quantity or complexity. In contemporary usage, multitudinous often appears in formal, elevated, or descriptive prose, sometimes with a slightly archaic or poetic tone. The word retains a strong sense of scale and variety, rather than a precise count, making it a favored choice for rhetorical emphasis.
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Words that rhyme with "Multitudinous"
-ous sounds
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