Manifold vs Many - What's the difference?
manifold | many | Synonyms |
(now historical) A copy made by the manifold writing process.
(mechanics) A pipe fitting or similar device that connects multiple inputs or outputs.
(US, regional, in the plural) The third stomach of a ruminant animal, an omasum.
* 1830
(mathematics) A topological space that looks locally like the "ordinary" Euclidean space and is Hausdorff.
Various in kind or quality, diverse
Many in number, numerous; multiple, multiplied.
Complicated.
Exhibited at diverse times or in various ways.
Many times; repeatedly.
* 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.xii:
To make manifold; multiply.
(printing) To multiply or reproduce impressions of by a single operation.
An indefinite large number of.
:
*Bible, (w) xvii.4:
*:Thou shalt be a father of many nations.
*
*:The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line, which seems to have shown some ingenuity in avoiding them,.
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= A collective mass of people.
An indefinite large number of people or things.
* {{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Ben Travers)
, chapter=4, title= A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.
A considerable number.
Manifold is a synonym of many.
As nouns the difference between manifold and many
is that manifold is (now historical) a copy made by the manifold writing process while many is a multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.As an adjective manifold
is various in kind or quality, diverse.As an adverb manifold
is many times; repeatedly.As a verb manifold
is to make manifold; multiply.As a determiner many is
an indefinite large number of.As a pronoun many is
a collective mass of people.manifold
English
Alternative forms
* (l)Etymology 1
From (etyl), from (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)Anson, Somerset Co. Me., accessed 12 June 2007
- My conjecture being right he will find the third stomach, or manifolds , the seat of difficulty.
Derived terms
* manifolder * (l) * (l)Adjective
(en adjective)- The manifold meanings of the simple English word 'set' are infamous among dictionary makers.
- c1384 ... the manyfold grace of God. — I Petre 4:10 (
Wycliffe's Bible
)
- 1611 The manifold wisdom of God. —
Ephesians 3:10]. ([[w:King James Bible]
)
Derived terms
* manifold writingAdverb
(en adverb)- when his daughter deare he does behold, / Her dearely doth imbrace, and kisseth manifold .
Etymology 2
From (etyl) manifolden, from (etyl) .Verb
(en verb)many
English
(wikipedia many)Determiner
The rise of smart beta, passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}
Usage notes
Many'' is used with plural nouns only (except in the combination many a). Its singular counterpart is much, which is used with uncountable nouns. ''Many'' and ''much merge in the comparison forms, which are more and most for both determiners.Antonyms
* fewPronoun
(English Pronouns)A Cuckoo in the Nest, passage=By some paradoxical evolution rancour and intolerance have been established in the vanguard of primitive Christianity. Mrs. Spoker, in common with many of the stricter disciples of righteousness, was as inclement in demeanour as she was cadaverous in aspect.}}