English Online Dictionary. What means many? What does many mean?
English
Alternative forms
- manie (obsolete)
Etymology
From Middle English many, mani, moni, from Old English maniġ, moniġ, maneġ (“many”), from Proto-West Germanic *manag, from Proto-Germanic *managaz (“some, much, many”).
The noun is from Middle English manye, *menye, from Old English manigeo, menigu (“company, multitude, host”), from Proto-West Germanic *managu, *managī, from Proto-Germanic *managō, *managį̄ (“multitude”), from the same root as the determiner. Cognate with Middle Low German menige, menie, menje (“multitude”), Russian много (mnogo), Serbo-Croatian mnogo.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈmɛni/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈmɛni/
- Rhymes: -ɛni
- (pin–pen merger) IPA(key): /ˈmɪni/
- Homophone: mini (pin-pen merger)
- (Ireland) IPA(key): /ˈmæni/
- Rhymes: -æni
- Hyphenation: ma‧ny
- (Ireland) Homophones: mannie, Mannie, manny, Manny
Determiner
many (comparative more, superlative most)
- An indefinite large number of.
- (in combinations such as 'as many', 'so many', 'this many') Used to indicate, demonstrate or compare the number of people or things.
- We don't need this many bananas. Put some back.
- There may be as many as ten million species of insect.
- I don't have as many friends as my sister does.
Usage notes
- Many is used only with the plural of countable nouns (except in the combination many a). Its counterpart used with uncountable nouns is much. Many and much merge in the comparative and superlative forms, which are more and most for both determiners.
- It was once common to use the indefinite article with many (very a many years ago), as it still is with few (a few good men). However, this has fallen out of favor except in formations such as "a great/good many."
Synonyms
- a lot of
Antonyms
- few
Derived terms
Translations
Pronoun
many
- An indefinite large number of people or things.
Antonyms
- few
Derived terms
- many-to-many
- one-to-many
Related terms
- how many
- many a
- so many
Translations
Noun
many (plural (rare) manies)
- A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.
- Synonyms: crowd, mob; see also Thesaurus:commonalty
- A considerable number.
- Synonyms: abundance, buttload, deal; see also Thesaurus:lot
Translations
Adjective
many (comparative more, superlative most)
- Existing in large number; numerous.
Synonyms
- multiple, several; see also Thesaurus:manifold
See also
- Thesaurus:quantifier
References
- “many”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
Anagrams
- MYAN, Myan., myna
Maricopa
Pronoun
many
- (personal) you
Yola
Etymology
From Middle English mani, from Old English maniġ, from Proto-West Germanic *manag.
Adjective
many
- many
References
- Jacob Poole (1867), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, page 86