multitudinous

Adjective

multitudinous (comparative more multitudinous, superlative most multitudinous)

1. Existing in multitudes or great numbers; very numerous; innumerable.
   • The great impoſtume of the realme vvas dravvne / Euen to a head: the multitudinous ſpavvne / VVas the corruption, vvhich did make it ſvvell / VVith hop'd ſedition (the burnt ſeed of hell.)1603, [Thomas Dekker], 1603. The Wonderfull Yeare. […], London: […] by [J. Browne, Nicholas Ling, and John Smethwick for?] Thomas Creede, […], →OCLC, signature B3, recto
   • There vvas alſo another parting ſpeach, vvhich vvas to haue been preſented in the perſon of a youth, and accompanied vvith diuerſe Gentlemens yonger ſonnes of the Countrey, but by reaſon of the Multitudinous preſſe, vvas alſo hindred.1603 July 5 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), B[en] Jon[son], “A Particular Entertainment of the Queene and Prince Their Highnesse to Althrope, at the Right Honourable the Lord Spencers, on...

   Synonyms:

   myriad, countless, innumerable, numberless, uncountable, uncounted, unnumberable, unnumbered, untold

   Antonyms:

   few, sparse, scarce

2. Comprising a large number of features or parts; manifold, multiple, myriad; also, having a large number of forms.
   • [I]n a State ſo multitudinous, where ſo many flocks of people muſt be fed, it is impoſſible to haue ſome Trades to ſtand, if they ſhould not Lye.1606, Tho[mas] Dekker, “Lying. Or, The Second Dayes Triumph.”, in The Seuen Deadly Sinnes of London: […], London: […] E[dward] A[llde] for Nathaniel Butter, […], →OCLC, page 14
   • VVhen all the Perſians ſoothed the King in the vnconquerableneſſe of his forces, Artabanus told him, that he feared no enemies but the Sea and the Earth; the one yeelding no ſafe harbour for ſuch a Navie; the other not yeelding ſufficient ſuſtenance for ſo multitudinous an Armie.1625, Peter Heylyn, “Of the World: And First of Europe. The Grecian Iles.”, in Μικρόκοσμος [Mikrókosmos]. A Little Description of the Great World. […], revised edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Iohn...

   Synonyms:

   countless, legion, eighty-eleven, eleventeen, eleventy, feelefold, fifty-eleven, forty-eleven, manifold, many

   1. Of a sound: made by many people.
      • From the whole extent of the invisible vale came a multitudinous intonation; it forced upon their fancy that a great city lay below them, and that the murmur was the vociferation of its populace.1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXXII, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume II, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the fourth (The...
      • The multitudinous shouting confused his ears.1895–1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “The Exodus from London”, in “The War of the Worlds”, in Pearson’s, London: C[yril] Arthur Pearson, published 1897, page 70, column 2
3. (literary, poetic) Of a body of water, the sea, etc.: huge, vast; also, having innumerable ripples.
   • VVill all great Neptunes ocean vvaſh this blood / Cleane from my Hand? no: this my Hand vvill rather / The multitudinous Seas incarnardine, / Making the Greene one, Red.c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount...
4. (obsolete, poetic) Followed by with: crowded with many people or things.
   • The transport of a fierce and monstrous gladness / Spread thro' the multitudinous streets, fast flying / Upon the winds of fear; […]1817 December (indicated as 1818), Percy B[ysshe] Shelley, “Canto Twelfth”, in Laon and Cythna; or, The Revolution of the Golden City: A Vision of the Nineteenth Century. […], London: […] [F]or...
   • [R]egard this Earth / Made multitudinous with thy slaves, whom thou / Requitest for knee-worship, prayer, and praise, / And toil, and hecatombs of broken hearts, / With fear and self-contempt and barren hope.1818–1819 (date written), Percy Bysshe Shelley, “Prometheus Unbound”, in Prometheus Unbound […], London: C[harles] and J[ames] Ollier […], published 1820, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 19
5. (obsolete, rare) Of or relating to the multitude (“common people; masses”).
   • You […] That preferre / A Noble life, before a Long, and VViſh / To iumpe a Body vvith a dangerous Phyſicke, / That's ſure of death vvithout it: at once plucke out / The Multitudinous Tongue, let them not licke / The ſvveet vvhich is their poyſon.c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
6. (figuratively, obsolete, rare) Very fruitful or productive; prolific.
   • [T]wo very multitudinous versifiers, Mr. Nightshade and Mr. Mac Laurel, who followed the trade of poetry, but occasionally indulged themselves in the composition of bad criticism.1815 (date written), [Thomas Love Peacock], chapter III, in Headlong Hall, London: […] [S. Gosnell] for T[homas] Hookham, Jun. and Co. […], published 1816, →OCLC, page 31