multitude

/ˌmʌltəˈtud/

/ˈmʌltɪtud/

Other forms: multitudes

A multitude is a very large number or a huge crowd. If you see a multitude of zombies approaching, you're in trouble.

Sometimes the word multitude refers to the common people, or the masses — that is, everyone in a society apart from the political elite. There are a lot of words and phrases for this, like hoi polloi, which is Greek for "the many," and "the great unwashed." Those last two terms are usually used in a disapproving way, but multitudes is generally a positive term. If you were to say that a leader inspired the multitudes to rise up against their oppressor, we'd assume that you sympathized with the multitudes.

Definitions of multitude

1. noun

   a large indefinite number
   “a multitude of TV antennas”

   synonyms: battalion, large number, pack, plurality

   type of:

   large indefinite amount, large indefinite quantity

   an indefinite quantity that is above the average in size or magnitude
2. noun

   a large gathering of people
   synonyms: concourse, throng

   types:

   hive

   a teeming multitude

   horde, host, legion

   a vast multitude

   herd, ruck

   a crowd especially of ordinary or undistinguished persons or things

   type of:

   assemblage, gathering

   a group of persons together in one place
3. noun

   the common people generally
   synonyms: hoi polloi, mass, masses, people, the great unwashed

   types:

   laity, temporalty

   in Christianity, members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy

   audience

   the part of the general public interested in a source of information or entertainment

   followers, following

   a group of followers or enthusiasts

   readership

   the audience reached by written communications (books or magazines or newspapers etc.)

   TV audience, viewers, viewing audience

   the audience reached by television

   claque

   a group of followers hired to applaud at a performance

   faithful

   any loyal and steadfast following

   fandom

   the fans of a sport or famous person

   type of:

   group, grouping

   any number of entities (members) considered as a unit