multitud
“multitud” means “crowd” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
crowd
Also: throng, mob
📝 In Action
La multitud gritaba de emoción cuando el equipo ganó.
B1The crowd was shouting with excitement when the team won.
La policía tuvo que dispersar a la multitud de manifestantes.
B2The police had to disperse the crowd of protesters.
Había una multitud tan grande que era imposible caminar.
B1There was such a large crowd that it was impossible to walk.
multitude
Also: host, abundance
📝 In Action
El proyecto enfrentó una multitud de problemas técnicos.
C1The project faced a multitude of technical problems.
Hay una multitud de razones por las que debemos actuar ahora.
C1There is a host of reasons why we must act now.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: multitud
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'multitud' in its most formal sense (meaning a large number of things)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The word comes directly from the Latin *multitūdinem*, which meant 'a great number' or 'mass of people.' It is rooted in the Latin word *multus*, meaning 'much' or 'many,' emphasizing the idea of a large quantity.
First recorded: Around the 13th century (in Old Spanish)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
If 'multitud' means many people, why is it singular?
'Multitud' is a 'collective noun.' Think of it like the English word 'team' or 'family.' Even though a team has many members, the word 'team' itself is treated as a single thing. Therefore, 'la multitud' takes singular verbs.