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Manifold

[MAN-ə-fold]

Part of speech: Adjective

Origin: Old English

1.

Having many different forms or elements.

Examples of Manifold in a sentence

"There are manifold reasons to love “The Muppet Show,” but mainly I’m a fan of Fozzie Bear."

"A visit to a pre-game tailgate reveals the manifold variety of football fans."

About Manifold

“Manifold” comes from the late Old English “manigfealde,” but prior to the 1700s, it had dozens of different spellings, including “monyfawld,” “maniualde,” and “manyfoolde.”

Did you Know?

While the adjective sense of “manifold” dates back to Old English, a noun usage popped up in the 19th century. “Manifold” commonly describes a pipe branching into several openings — such as the part of an internal combustion engine that distributes air and fuel inside the motor. A car’s manifold (noun) starts in one central place and leads to manifold (adjective) different parts of the combustion and exhaust systems.

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