manifold

/ˌmænəˈfoʊld/

/ˈmænɪfəʊld/

Other forms: manifolds; manifoldly; manifolded; manifolding

Manifold is a smarty-pants way to say "varied," "many," or "multiple." There are many good reasons to expand your vocabulary, so you could say the benefits of learning new words are manifold.

Manifold sounds like "many fold," which is what it is — something with many features, like a wallet with lots of folds so stuffed with junk that makes you sit funny when it's in your back pocket. As an adjective, manifold loves to appear in books, like Mrs. Gryce in Edith Wharton's "The House of Mirth," whose "domestic duties were manifold." As a noun, a manifold is a pipe branching into many openings, often found in car engines.

Definitions of manifold

1. adjective

   many and varied; having many features or forms
   “manifold reasons”

   “our manifold failings”

   “manifold intelligence”

   synonyms: multiplex

   multiple

   having or involving or consisting of more than one part or entity or individual
2. noun

   a lightweight paper used with carbon paper to make multiple copies
   “an original and two manifolds”

   synonyms: manifold paper

   type of:

   paper

   a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
3. noun

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

   exhaust manifold

   a manifold that receives exhaust gases from the cylinders and conducts them to the exhaust pipe

   inlet manifold

   manifold that carries vaporized fuel from the carburetor to the inlet valves of the cylinders

   intake manifold

   a manifold consisting of a pipe to carry fuel to each cylinder in an internal-combustion engine

   type of:

   pipage, pipe, piping

   a long tube made of metal or plastic that is used to carry water or oil or gas etc.
4. noun

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

   mathematical space, topological space

   (mathematics) any set of points that satisfy a set of postulates of some kind
5. verb

   make multiple copies of
   type of:

   copy, re-create

   make a replica of
6. verb

   combine or increase by multiplication
   synonyms: multiply

   types:

   double, duplicate

   increase twofold

   treble, triple

   increase threefold

   quadruple

   increase fourfold

   quintuple

   increase fivefold

   proliferate

   cause to grow or increase rapidly

   redouble

   double again

   geminate

   arrange or combine in pairs

   type of:

   increase

   make bigger or more