Standard Lemma guide

manifold

adj · adv · name · noun · verb · 20 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈmænɪˌfoʊld/
  • US, nonstandard: /ˈmɛnɪˌfoʊld/
  • US: /ˈmɛniˌfoʊld/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmænɪˌfəʊld/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ænɪfoʊld
  • rhymes with -əʊld
  • CMU ARPABET: M AE1 N AH0 F OW2 L D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: M AE1 N IH0 F OW2 L D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Various in kind, quality, or manifestation; diverse.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The manifold meanings of the English word set are infamous among lexicographers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Many in number; numerous.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Complicated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Many times; repeatedly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

name

Meaning 5

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

name

Meaning 6

An unincorporated community in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

name

Meaning 7

A river in Staffordshire, England, a tributary of the River Dove; in full, the River Manifold.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A copy made by the manifold writing process.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A pipe fitting or similar device that connects multiple inputs and outputs.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: engineering, mechanical-engineering, mechanics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

The third stomach of a ruminant animal, an omasum.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, dialectal, in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A Hausdorff topological space that looks locally like the "ordinary" Euclidean space Rn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: mathematics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A polygon mesh representing the continuous, closed surface of a solid object

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computer-graphics, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To make manifold; multiply.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To multiply or reproduce impressions of by a single operation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

many and varied; having many features or forms

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • manifold reasons
  • our manifold failings
  • manifold intelligence
  • the multiplex opportunities in high technology

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: multiplex

Antonyms: none provided

16

noun

Meaning 16

a pipe that has several lateral outlets to or from other pipes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pipe, pipage, piping

Narrower terms: exhaust manifold, inlet manifold, intake manifold

17

noun

Meaning 17

a set of points such as those of a closed surface or an analogue in three or more dimensions

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: mathematical space, topological space

18

noun

Meaning 18

a lightweight paper used with carbon paper to make multiple copies

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an original and two manifolds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: manifold paper

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: paper

19

verb

Meaning 19

combine or increase by multiplication

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He managed to multiply his profits

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: multiply

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: increase

Narrower terms: double, duplicate, triple, treble, quadruple, quintuple, proliferate

20

verb

Meaning 20

make multiple copies of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • multiply a letter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: copy, re-create

History

Etymology

From Middle English manifold, from Old English maniġfeald (“manifold, various, varied, complicated, numerous, abundant, plural”), from Proto-Germanic *managafalþaz, equivalent to many + -fold. Cognate with Middle High German manecvalt (“manifold”), Icelandic margfaldr (“multiple”). Compare also German mannigfaltig (“various”), Dutch menigvoudig (“various”), Danish mangefold (“multiple”), Swedish mångfald (“diversity”).

Unknown.

From Middle English manifolden, from Old English maniġfealdan (“to multiply, abound, increase, extend, reward”), equivalent to many + -fold. Cognate with Middle High German manecvalten, Icelandic margfalda (“to multiply”), Swedish mångfaldiga (“to manifold, reproduce”).

Across languages

Translations

105 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مُتَنَوِّع (mutanawwiʕ) — various in kind or quality
  • Bulgarian: разнороден (raznoroden) — various in kind or quality
  • Bulgarian: разнообразен (raznoobrazen) — various in kind or quality
  • Chinese Mandarin: 雜多的 /杂多的 (záduō de) — various in kind or quality
  • Danish: mangfoldig — various in kind or quality
  • Dutch: veelvuldig — various in kind or quality
  • Dutch: talrijk — various in kind or quality
  • Dutch: veelvoudig — various in kind or quality
  • Dutch: divers — various in kind or quality
  • Esperanto: diversa — various in kind or quality
  • Esperanto: pluropa — various in kind or quality
  • Finnish: moninainen — various in kind or quality
  • French: divers — various in kind or quality
  • German: vielfältig — various in kind or quality
  • German: mannigfaltig — various in kind or quality
  • German: verschieden — various in kind or quality
  • German: divers — various in kind or quality
  • German: unterschiedlich — various in kind or quality
  • Gothic: 𐌼𐌰𐌽𐌰𐌲𐍆𐌰𐌻𐌸𐍃 (managfalþs) — various in kind or quality
  • Gothic: 𐍆𐌹𐌻𐌿𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍃 (filufaihs) — various in kind or quality
  • Greek: ποικιλόπτυχος (poikilóptychos) — various in kind or quality
  • Greek: πολλαπλός (pollaplós) — various in kind or quality
  • Greek: πολυειδής (polyeidís) — various in kind or quality
  • Greek: πολύπτυχος (polýptychos) — various in kind or quality
  • Ancient Greek: παντοδαπός (pantodapós) — various in kind or quality
  • Ancient Greek: ποικίλος (poikílos) — various in kind or quality
  • Hungarian: sokféle — various in kind or quality
  • Hungarian: sokfajta — various in kind or quality
  • Italian: molteplice — various in kind or quality
  • Italian: multiforme — various in kind or quality
  • Latin: multiplex — various in kind or quality
  • Portuguese: múltiplos — various in kind or quality
  • Portuguese: variados — various in kind or quality
  • Russian: разнообра́зный (raznoobráznyj) — various in kind or quality
  • Spanish: múltiple — various in kind or quality
  • Swedish: mångfaldig — various in kind or quality
  • Tagalog: damihan — various in kind or quality
  • Turkish: farklı — various in kind or quality
  • Bulgarian: многоброен (mnogobroen) — numerous, multiple, multiplied
  • Bulgarian: множествен (množestven) — numerous, multiple, multiplied
  • Esperanto: multnombra — numerous, multiple, multiplied
  • French: multiple — numerous, multiple, multiplied
  • Esperanto: plurfoja — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Esperanto: plurforma — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Finnish: moninainen — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • German: vielfach — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • German: vielfältig — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • German: wiederkehrend — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • German: mannigfach — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Greek: πολύμορφος (polýmorfos) — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Ancient Greek: πολύτροπος (polútropos) — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Hungarian: sokszor — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • Italian: manifesto — exhibited at diverse times or in various ways
  • German: Vervielfältigung — copy made by the manifold writing process
  • German: Kopie — copy made by the manifold writing process
  • Russian: ко́пия (kópija) — copy made by the manifold writing process
  • Turkish: teksir — copy made by the manifold writing process
  • Bulgarian: разклонение (razklonenie) — pipe fitting
  • Catalan: col·lector — pipe fitting
  • Esperanto: distubarilo — pipe fitting
  • Finnish: jakoputki — pipe fitting
  • Finnish: jakotukki — pipe fitting
  • French: collecteur — pipe fitting
  • German: Krümmer — pipe fitting
  • German: Verteiler — pipe fitting
  • German: Sammler — pipe fitting
  • German: Heizungsverteiler — pipe fitting
  • Greek: πολυσωλήνας (polysolínas) — pipe fitting
  • Italian: collettore — pipe fitting
  • Norwegian Bokmål: manifold — pipe fitting
  • Polish: kolektor — pipe fitting
  • Portuguese: coletor — pipe fitting
  • Russian: колле́ктор (kolléktor) — pipe fitting
  • Russian: трубопрово́д (truboprovód) — pipe fitting
  • Spanish: colector — pipe fitting
  • Turkish: dağıtıcı — pipe fitting
  • Bulgarian: многообразие (mnogoobrazie) — locally Euclidean space
  • Catalan: varietat — locally Euclidean space
  • Chinese Mandarin: 流形 (liúxíng) — locally Euclidean space
  • Czech: varieta — locally Euclidean space
  • Danish: mangfoldighed — locally Euclidean space
  • Dutch: variëteit — locally Euclidean space
  • Finnish: monisto — locally Euclidean space
  • French: variété — locally Euclidean space
  • German: Mannigfaltigkeit — locally Euclidean space
  • Greek: πολυχώρος (polychóros) — locally Euclidean space
  • Hebrew: יריעה טופולוגית — locally Euclidean space
  • Hungarian: sokaság — locally Euclidean space
  • Italian: varietà — locally Euclidean space
  • Japanese: 多様体 (tayōtai) — locally Euclidean space
  • Kazakh: көпбейне (köpbeine) — locally Euclidean space
  • Macedonian: многуобра́зие (mnoguobrázie) — locally Euclidean space
  • Polish: rozmaitość — locally Euclidean space
  • Portuguese: variedade — locally Euclidean space
  • Romanian: varietate — locally Euclidean space
  • Russian: многообра́зие (mnogoobrázije) — locally Euclidean space
  • Spanish: variedad — locally Euclidean space
  • Swedish: mångfald — locally Euclidean space
  • Turkish: çok katlı — locally Euclidean space
  • Vietnamese: đa tạp — locally Euclidean space
  • Bulgarian: размножавам (razmnožavam) — multiply
  • Czech: rozmnožit — multiply
  • German: vervielfältigen — multiply
  • German: vervielfachen — multiply
  • Swedish: mångfaldiga — multiply
Real reading context

manifold in complete knowledge articles