Involving, or controlled by multiple factors.
Used in a Sentence
multifactorial
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for multifactorial.
Editorial note
The truth is that nearly all problems are multifactorial and involve long chains of causality.
Examples11
Definitions3
Parts of speech2
Quick take
Involving, or controlled by multiple factors.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of multifactorial gathered in one view.
(genetics, of a trait) Involving multiple genetic or environmental factors.
(mathematics) A generalization of a factorial in which each element to be multiplied differs from the next by an integer (e.g. n(n-3)(n-6)(n-9)...).
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for multifactorial.
adjective
Involving, or controlled by multiple factors.
adjective
(genetics, of a trait) Involving multiple genetic or environmental factors.
noun
(mathematics) A generalization of a factorial in which each element to be multiplied differs from the next by an integer (e.g. n(n-3)(n-6)(n-9)...).
Example sentences
The truth is that nearly all problems are multifactorial and involve long chains of causality.
The underlying causes of autism are still not well understood, and are likely multifactorial and complex.
It's very helpful for explaining the multifactorial genesis of catastrophes to ordinary people.
Whatever's going on, it's probably going to end up being complicated and multifactorial.
Pain is multifactorial, and strength is not the only determinant by far.
Take every movement of the market, ascribe it to something/anything (when in the real world it's massively multifactorial) because that is pat and seems informative.
First, for the reasons above, cancer is often multifactorial and it would be difficult to identify a single driver that would effectively cure the disease if corrected.
Of course, being in good health is multifactorial, and just as you can find many overweight people who are otherwise in fine health, you can find many people (like yourself) who eschew social situations but are otherwise perfectly happy.
Depression is a polygenic, multifactorial disease, a disruption of the complicated mood regulatory system in the human brain, with its several interacting feedback loops, so no two depression patients are seeking care with exactly the same underlying disease state.
But many of the diseases and disorders that you and I most care about will not be understood through this kind of research, because those diseases and disorders are already known to be polygenic (influenced by many genes, each of small effect) and multifactorial (subject to influence both from genes and from various environmental factors, some of which are very poorly understood).
Quote examples
Plus, lifespan is very multifactorial; for example, you can "extend lifespan" in many species by inhibiting cancer, but that isn't really stopping aging per se.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use multifactorial in a sentence?
The truth is that nearly all problems are multifactorial and involve long chains of causality.
What does multifactorial mean?
Involving, or controlled by multiple factors.
What part of speech is multifactorial?
multifactorial is commonly used as adjective, noun.