Loading summary
A
Foreign.
B
It's the word of the day for December 14th.
A
With savings over $390 this shopping season. VRBO helps you swap gift wrap time for quality time with those you love most. From snow on the roof to sand between your toes. We have all the vacation rental options covered. Go to VRBO now and book a last minute week long stay. Save over $390 this holiday season and book your next vacation rental home on VRBO. Average savings $396 select homes only.
B
Today's word is multitudinous, Spelled M U l T I T u D I N O u S Multitudinous is an adjective. It's a formal word with meanings that relate to multitudes. It can mean existing in a great multitude that is very many, or including a multitude of individuals, or existing in or consisting of innumerable elements or aspects. Here's the word used in a sentence from Forbes by Natasha Gural Launched as Holton's artistic inquiry into his own Chinese heritage, the project has evolved into a profound examination of family dynamics, modern migration and cultural hybridity in contemporary New York, where the American identity is multitudinous. I am large, I contain multitudes. So wrote Walt Whitman. In his most celebrated poem, Song of Myself, he was expressing his ability to hold within himself contradictory statements, facets, opinions or beliefs. Another, if less poetic way of saying I contain multitudes might be I am multitudinous. Multitudinous using the sense of that five syllable word meaning existing in or consisting of innumerable elements or aspects. Multitudinous doesn't have a lot of meanings, three to be exact, but each one concerns, well, a lot in addition to serving Whitman esque purposes. As noted above, multitudinous is the kind of highly expressive word that you can rely upon when you want something a little more emphatic than plain old numerous, as in multitudinous possibilities. Lastly, its original sense, still in use today, is a synonym of the word populous, meaning including a multitude of individuals, as in the multitudinous city. With your word of the day, I'm Peter Sokolowski.
A
Visit merriamwebster.com today for definitions, wordplay and trending word lookups.
Podcast: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
Episode: Multitudinous
Date: December 14, 2025
Host: Peter Sokolowski (for Merriam-Webster)
This episode explores the word "multitudinous," delving into its definitions, usage, nuances, and etymological significance. The host, Peter Sokolowski, provides insightful examples and notable literary references to illustrate the richness of the word.
[01:39] Peter Sokolowski:
"I am large, I contain multitudes. So wrote Walt Whitman."
[01:55] Peter Sokolowski:
"Another, if less poetic way of saying 'I contain multitudes' might be 'I am multitudinous.'"
[02:23] Peter Sokolowski:
"Multitudinous is the kind of highly expressive word that you can rely upon when you want something a little more emphatic than plain old numerous, as in 'multitudinous possibilities.'”
This episode offers an accessible yet thought-provoking exploration of "multitudinous." The host walks listeners through its definitions—emphasizing its usefulness when a more emphatic alternative to "numerous" is needed. By quoting Walt Whitman and referencing contemporary usage, the episode demonstrates the word's historical depth and its ability to evoke the complexity and abundance of both ideas and populations. Throughout, the tone is engaging and educational, providing listeners with both practical examples and inspiration for adopting the term in their own vocabulary.