Definition of multilingual

The word "multilingual" originated in the 17th century from the Latin words "multi" meaning "many" and "lingua" meaning "language". In Latin, the phrase "multilinguis" referred to a person who knew many languages. The term was later adapted into Middle French as "multilingue" and then into English as "multilingual". The Oxford English Dictionary lists the first recorded use of the word "multilingual" in English as 1634, in a translation of a French work. Initially, the term referred specifically to someone who spoke multiple languages, often as a result of living in a region where multiple languages were spoken. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to include not just the ability to speak multiple languages but also the use of multiple languages in a single environment, such as a country with multiple official languages. Today, "multilingual" is often used to describe a person, a community, or a institution that is fluent in multiple languages.