multipolar

English

Alternative forms

• multi-polar

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *mel-der.

Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.

Proto-Indo-European *ml̥tós?

Proto-Italic *moltos

Latin multus

Latin multīder.

Middle English multi-

English multi-

Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-der.

Proto-Indo-European *kʷól-os

Proto-Hellenic *pólos

Ancient Greek πόλος (pólos)bor.

Latin polus

Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-

Proto-Indo-European *-is

Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?

Proto-Italic *-ālis

Latin -ālis

Latin -āris

Late Latin polārislbor.

English polar

English multipolar

From multi- + polar.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mʌltiˈpəʊlə/
• Rhymes: -əʊlə(ɹ)

Adjective

multipolar (comparative more multipolar, superlative most multipolar)

1. (physics, biology) Having more than two poles. [from 19th c.]
2. (politics) Of or relating to an international system in which a number of states wield most of the cultural, economic, and political influence. [from 20th c.]
   • 1964 April, Karl W. Deutsch and J. David Singer, “Multipolar Power Systems and International Stability”, in World Politics, volume 16, number 3, →DOI, page 403:

     If we are mainly concerned, on the contrary, with preventing any rapid escalation of the two-power arms competition between the United States and the Soviet Union, a shift toward a multi-polar world may appear preferable.

   • 2012, Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers, Penguin, published 2013, page 121:

     The first diagram reveals a multi-polar system, in which a plurality of forces and interests balance each other in precarious equilibrium.

   • 2022 February 23, Madeleine Albright, “Putin Is Making a Historic Mistake”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 15 January 2026:

     Mr. Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, like to claim that we now live in a multipolar world.

Related terms

• multipolarity
• tripolar

Translations

physics, biology: having more than two poles

• Armenian: բազմաբևեռ (hy) (bazmabeweṙ)
• Finnish: moninapainen (fi), multipolaarinen
• French: multipolaire (fr)
• German: multipolar
• Greek: πολυπολικός m (polypolikós)
• Polish: wielobiegunowy, multipolarny
• Russian: многополя́рный (ru) (mnogopoljárnyj)

having multiple centers of influence

• Armenian: բազմաբևեռ (hy) (bazmabeweṙ)
• Finnish: moninapainen (fi), hajautettu
• French: multipolaire (fr)
• Georgian: მრავალპოლუსიანი (mravalṗolusiani), მულტიპოლარული (mulṭiṗolaruli)
• German: multipolar
• Greek: πολυπολικός m (polypolikós)
• Kazakh: көпполюсті (köppolyuwsti)
• Polish: wielobiegunowy, multipolarny
• Russian: многополя́рный (ru) (mnogopoljárnyj)

Noun

multipolar (plural multipolars)

1. An electromagnetic machine in which several magnetic poles exist.

Romanian

Etymology

Etymology tree

French multi-

French polaire

French multipolairebor.

Romanian multipolar

Borrowed from French multipolaire. By surface analysis, multi- + polar.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌmul.ti.poˈlar/

Adjective

multipolar m or n (feminine singular multipolară, masculine plural multipolari, feminine/neuter plural multipolare)

1. multipolar

Declension

Declension of multipolar

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative- accusative	indefinite	multipolar		multipolară	multipolari	multipolare
	definite	multipolarul		multipolara	multipolarii	multipolarele
genitive- dative	indefinite	multipolar		multipolare	multipolari	multipolare
	definite	multipolarului		multipolarei	multipolarilor	multipolarelor

Spanish

Adjective

multipolar m or f (masculine and feminine plural multipolares)

1. multipolar

Further reading

• “multipolar”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026