multiplex
multiplex — noun
1. A large building that contains many separate cinema screens, allowing several di
A large building that contains many separate cinema screens, allowing several different films to be shown at the same time.
The new multiplex on Kent Road has twelve screens and a video game arcade.
Zola and her friends met at the multiplex to watch the latest animated film.
collocation: meet at the multiplex / go to the multiplex
Many old single-screen theatres in this town were replaced by multiplex cinemas during the 1990s.
The multiplex was so crowded on Saturday that every screening sold out before eight o'clock.
- cineplex
brand-derived term for a multi-screen cinema, more common in North America
- movie theatre complex
descriptive term used in American English; less concise
- cinema complex
slightly more formal synonym, common in British English
- single-screen cinema
a cinema with only one auditorium
用法筆記
Common in British and Australian English; 'movie theater complex' or 'cineplex' is more frequent in American English.
常見錯誤
multiplex — adjective
1. Having or consisting of many different kinds, forms, or aspects; varied and dive
Having or consisting of many different kinds, forms, or aspects; varied and diverse in nature.
The festival offered a multiplex programme of music, dance, theatre, and film screenings.
attributive use: multiplex + programme / nature / challenges
Professor Ignacio's research examines the multiplex nature of cultural identity in modern cities.
The novel presents a multiplex narrative with several interconnected storylines and characters.
Urban planners must address the multiplex challenges of housing, transport, and environmental policy.
- multiple
neutral and much more common; implies many but not necessarily varied
- diverse
emphasises variety and difference among the elements
- manifold
formal synonym stressing many layers or aspects
- multifaceted
highlights many sides or dimensions to something
文法句型
multiplex + noun
用法筆記
Chiefly used in formal, academic, or literary registers. In everyday conversation, 'multiple', 'diverse', or 'varied' is far more common. The adjective is nearly always used before a noun (attributive position).
常見錯誤
multiplex — verb
1. To send two or more signals, messages, or data streams at the same time through
To send two or more signals, messages, or data streams at the same time through a single shared channel or line by using a system that separates them at the receiving end.
The device multiplexes audio and video signals through a single cable to the screen.
multiplex + signals + through + cable
Telecommunications companies multiplex thousands of phone calls across one optical fibre cable.
The satellite system is designed to multiplex data from multiple ground stations at once.
Asher explained how the router multiplexes the office network traffic onto one main connection.
- demultiplex
to separate a combined signal back into its original individual streams
文法句型
multiplex + noun (signals / data / messages) + through/across + noun
用法筆記
Technical term in telecommunications and broadcasting. The object is nearly always a technical quantity (signals, data, streams, channels). Frequently used in the passive voice: 'The signals are multiplexed onto a single carrier wave.'
常見錯誤
2. To combine two or more separate signals or data streams into one composite signa
To combine two or more separate signals or data streams into one composite signal so that they can travel together through a single transmission path.
Nila learned how to multiplex digital audio signals during her telecommunications engineering course.
multiplex + digital + signals — technical collocation
The broadcasting station multiplexes several radio programmes into one frequency band.
This software allows users to multiplex multiple video feeds into a single broadcast stream.
Engineers multiplex data from hundreds of weather sensors to reduce the number of transmission lines.
- demultiplex
to split a combined signal back into original separate components
文法句型
multiplex + noun (signals / streams / channels) + into + noun
用法筆記
Distinguish from Sense 1: this sense focuses on the combining/merging process itself rather than the act of sending. The object is what gets merged together, and the result is a single composite signal. Technical contexts include telecommunications, broadcasting, and computer networking.