術(shù)語前綴multi-來自拉丁形容詞multus，原意為many (許多），在構(gòu)詞中又引申出having many (有許多…的），many times (多次）等含義。multi-最先出現(xiàn)在拉丁借詞中，現(xiàn)在已成為英語中的活性前綴。它可以加在形容詞之前，構(gòu)成形容詞；它也可以加在名詞前，表示having many的意思，構(gòu)成形容詞（注意，這時 multi-改變了詞基單詞的詞性）或名詞。

下面先介紹multi-與拉丁詞根相結(jié)合的例子。

multiflorous [ multi- = many 多;flor = flower 花;-ous a.= having 有…的=>“having many flowers 有許多花的”→]a. bearing many flowers 多花的 / The plum is a kind of multiflorous tree.李樹是一種多花的果樹。

multiped [ multi- = having many 有許多…的；ped = foot 足=> ] a. having many feet 多足的 / The snake moves faster than some multiped animals.蛇的運(yùn)動速度比某些多足動物還快。

multiply [ multi - = many times 多次；ply = to fold 對折=>“to fold many times 對折多次”=>“to increase in number 增加”→] v.① increase 增加/ As we climbed up the mountain the dangers and difficulties multiplied. 隨著我們往山上爬，困難與危險都增加了。② increase by procreation 繁殖 / Germs multiply very fast.細(xì)菌繁殖得很快。③ take (a number) a given times 乘 / To multiply 4 by 3 means to take 4 three times, making 12. 4乘以3就是把3個4相加，等于12。

multiplier n. 增加者；增殖者；乘數(shù) 

multiplication n. 增加；繁殖；乘法運(yùn)算

下面舉些例子說明multi-與單詞綴合的情況。

multilateral [ multi- = many 多；lateral a. 邊的→]a. having or involving many sides or nations 多邊的;多國參加的 / A multilateral treaty was signed in the conference. 在那次會議上簽訂了一項(xiàng)多邊條約。