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mul·ti·plex (mŭltə-plĕks′)
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adj.
1. Relating to, having, or consisting of multiple elements or parts: "the whole complex and multiplex detail of the noble science of dinner" (Thomas Love Peacock).
2. Relating to or being a system of simultaneous communication of two or more messages on the same wire or radio channel.
n.
1. A multiplex communication system.
2. A building having a number of separate movie theaters that are usually accessed from a central lobby.
3. A dwelling with multiple separate units.
v. mul·ti·plexed, mul·ti·plex·ing, mul·ti·plex·es
v.intr.
To send messages or signals simultaneously using a multiplex system.
v.tr.
To send simultaneously using a multiplex system.
[Middle English, a multiple, from Latin, various, complicated : multi-, multi- + -plex, -fold; see plek- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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