˜yĞÄvlog

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multilingual

[ muhl-tee-ling-gwuhl, muhl-tahy-or, Canadian, -ling-gyoo-uhl ]

adjective

  1. using or able to speak several or many languages with some facility.
  2. spoken or written in several or many languages:

    a multilingual broadcast.

  3. dealing with or involving several or many languages:

    a multilingual dictionary of business terms.



noun

  1. a multilingual person.

multilingual

/ ËŒ³¾ÊŒ±ô³Ùɪˈ±ôɪŋɡ·ÉÉ™±ô /

adjective

  1. able to speak more than two languages
  2. written or expressed in more than two languages Compare bilingual monolingual
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other ˜yĞÄvlog Forms

  • ³¾³Ü±ôt¾±Â·±ô¾±²Ôg³Ü²¹±ô·±ô²â adverb
  • ³¾³Ü±ôt¾±Â·±ô¾±²Ôg³Ü²¹±ô·¾±²õ³¾ noun
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˜yĞÄvlog History and Origins

Origin of multilingual1

First recorded in 1830–40; multi- + lingual
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He conceded the point, speculating that local governments could use Trump’s executive order as an excuse to end multilingual forms of communication, which would harm immigrant communities.

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The multilingual library staffers who return these calls can get hundreds of them each month.

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The group makes up 15% of the total population of these four areas, but researchers say the data point to a dearth in multilingual communication alerts about fire warnings, evacuation procedures and relief services.

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Not only were multilingual skills lost, but so were networks of cultures and traditions hundreds of years old.

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Campus tours and Bruin Day for all admitted students feature multilingual assistance so parents can receive information in the language they are most comfortable speaking.

From

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More About Multilingual

What doesÌımultilingual mean?

Multilingual is most commonly used to describe someone who can speak or understand multiple languages, especially someone who can speak several languages with some level of fluency.

It can also be used to describe things that involve or that are written or spoken in multiple languages, as in These instructions are multilingual—they’re written in seven different languages.

Someone who speaks two languages is multilingual, but the term is most often used to describe someone who speaks more than three languages, since the term bilingual is commonly used to describe someone who speaks two languages and trilingual is used to describe someone who speaks three.

The ability to speak multiple languages or the use of multiple languages is called multilingualism.

Example: Being multilingual is a great advantage when applying for international jobs.

Where doesÌımultilingual come from?

The first records of the word multilingual come from the 1830s. It’s composed of multi-, meaning “many†or “multiple,†and lingual, which means “pertaining to languages.†Lingual shares a root with other language-related words, like linguistics and linguaphile.

Some people who are multilingual may be masters of all the languages they speak. In this case, they’re often called polyglots. But a person might be described—or describe themselves—as multilingual even if they’re not fluent in all of the languages they can speak. Most multilingual people have differing levels of fluency for each language they know.

Countries are often described as multilingual when they have two or more official or widely used languages. India, for example, is one of the most multilingual countries, with more than 20 official languages and at least 100 others, as well as hundreds of dialects.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to multilingual?

  • multilingually (adverb)
  • multilingualism (noun)

What are some synonyms for multilingual?

What are some words that share a root or word element with multilingual?Ìı

What are some words that often get used in discussing multilingual?

How isÌımultilingual used in real life?

Multilingual is most commonly used to describe people who speak more than three languages.

Ìı

Ìı

Try usingÌımultilingual!

Is multilingual used correctly in the following sentence?

In some places, the street signs are multilingual since there are multiple widely spoken languages.

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