[dhdallas]

Originally Posted by turneronce

Use of language on this forum and elsewhere is getting pretty bad. The latest, heard everywhere, including on major networks, is the misuse of the word multiple”. 8 is a multiple of 2, 9 a multiple of 3. What happened to what they really mean, like “several”, “a few”, “many”, etc.? Am I picky? Yes, words have meaning.

"Multiple" can mean several, many, etc.
Multiple

• adjective
  
• Having, relating to, or consisting of more than one individual, element, part, or other component; manifold.
• Containing more than once, or more than one; consisting of more than one; manifold; repeated many times; having several, or many, parts.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.