Meaning & use
multicharacter
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Meanings
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalcomputing
Consisting of or involving more than one character, especially in text or computer data.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a multicharacter string. It is not usually used after a verb.
Patterns
- a multicharacter string
- multicharacter input
- multicharacter data
The password must contain a multicharacter sequence, not just a single symbol.
Their software rejects any multicharacter code that includes a space.
Please enter a multicharacter name rather than one letter.
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalcomputing
In computing, made up of several characters used together as a single unit or token.
Grammar: Common in technical writing before nouns like 'token', 'delimiter' or 'operator'.
Patterns
- a multicharacter token
- a multicharacter operator
- parse a multicharacter sequence
The parser treats a multicharacter operator as one token.
In this language, a multicharacter delimiter marks the end of a block.
A multicharacter literal caused the error message.
Common combinations
- multicharacter string
- The field stores a multicharacter string such as a postcode.
- multicharacter input
- The form accepts multicharacter input but not symbols.
- multicharacter token
- The compiler groups the two symbols into a multicharacter token.
- multicharacter sequence
- A multicharacter sequence was found where a single letter was expected.
Synonyms and how they differ
- multi-character
- The hyphenated spelling is more common in general writing; 'multicharacter' is typical in technical and computing texts.
- multi-byte
- This describes data measured in bytes, not in characters, so it fits storage discussions rather than text length.
Opposites
Word family
- character noun
- A single letter, number or symbol used in writing or data.
- characteristic adjective
- Typical of a person or thing; a different word that shares the same root.
Commonly confused: multicharacter or multicharacter?
multicharacter vs multicharacter
Some writers spell it 'multi-character' with a hyphen; both are understood, but the unhyphenated form is common in computing.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'multicharacter' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Multicharacter' describes something made of more than one character, so 'a multicharacter string' fits. Option A contradicts the meaning, and C and D use the word in contexts where it makes no sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “multicharacter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.