"involving many parts or relations; consisting of more than one complete individual," 1640s, from French multiple (14c.), from Late Latin multiplus "manifold," from Latin multi- "many, much" (see multi-) + -plus "-fold" (see -plus).

The noun is from 1680s in arithmetic, "a number produced by multiplying another by a whole number," from the adjective. Multiple choice in reference to a question in which the subject selects an answer from several options is attested by 1915. Multiple exposure "repeated exposure of the same frame of film" is recorded by 1891. In psychology, multiple personality is attested by 1886. The chronic, progressive disease multiple sclerosis is so called by 1877, because it occurs in patches (see sclerosis).

1540s, "small ball used in voting," also "secret vote taken by ballots," from Italian pallotte, diminutive of palla "ball," for small balls used as counters in secret voting, from a Germanic source (from PIE root *bhel- (2) "to blow, swell"). The earliest references are to Venice. By 1776 the sense of the word had been extended to tickets or sheets of paper used in secret voting. Ballot box attested from 1670s; metonymically from 1834 as "system or practice of voting by ballot."

"manifold, multiple, multiplicate," 1550s, from Latin multiplex "having many folds; many times as great in number; of many parts" (see multiply). As a noun, late 14c. in arithmetic, "a multiple."

1822, "advocate of extension of the political franchise in Britain," without regard to gender, or, in the U.S., of voting rights for free blacks; from suffrage + -ist. After c. 1885 especially with reference to voting rights for women.

"body of constituents," especially "a body of persons voting for an elective officer," 1806, from constituent + abstract noun suffix -cy.

1550s, "give a vote to;" 1560s, "enact or establish by vote;" see vote (n.). Earlier it meant "to vow" to do something (mid-15c.). Related: Voted; voting.

"one who is absent," 1530s, from absent (v.) + -ee. In reference to voting, by 1892, American English.

"the study of voting and elections," 1952, from Greek psēphizein "to vote" (properly "to vote with pebbles," from psēphos "pebble;" see psephocracy) + -logy.

"consolidated fleshy multiple fruit" (such as a pineapple), 1831, from Modern Latin, from Greek sōros "a heap" (of corn), which is of uncertain origin.

"fact of having multiple meanings," 1900, from French polysémie (1897), from Medieval Latin polysemus, from Greek polysemos "of many senses or meanings," from polys "many" (from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill") + sēma "sign" (see semantic). Related: Polysemic.