• (British) IPA: /ˈmɛni/
• (America) IPA: /ˈmɛni/
  • (pin-pen) IPA: /ˈmɪni/
• (Ireland) IPA: /ˈmæni/

1. An indefinite large number of.

   Many people enjoy playing chess.

   There are many different ways to cook a meal.

   • Bible, Book of Genesis xvii.4:

     Thou shalt be a father of many nations.

   • 1909, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter III, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen, OCLC 12026604 ↗; republished New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1919, OCLC 491297620 ↗:

     The big houses, and there are a good many of them, lie for the most part in what may be called by courtesy the valleys. You catch a glimpse of them sometimes at a little distance from the [railway] line, which seems to have shown some ingenuity in avoiding them, […].

2. (in combinations such as 'as many', 'so many', 'this many') Used to indicate, demonstrate or compare the number of people or things.

   We don't need this many bananas. Put some back.

   There may be as many as ten million species of insect.

   I don't have as many friends as my sister does.

• a lot of

• few

• French: beaucoup, nombreux, plusieurs
• German: viele
• Italian: molti, un gran numero di
• Portuguese: muitos, muitas
• Russian: мно́го
• Spanish: muchos, muchas

1. An indefinite large number of people or things.

   Many are called, but few are chosen.

   • 1611 – King James Version of the Bible, Luke 1:1

     Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us...

• few

• how many
• many a
• so many

• French: beaucoup, un grand nombre
• Portuguese: multidão
• Russian: мно́гие
• Spanish: muchos

many

1. A multitude; a great aggregate; a mass of people; the generality; the common herd.

   Democracy must balance the rights of the few against the will of the many.

2. A considerable number.
   • 2005, Florence Dyer, A Mother's Cry!: Touches the Very Heart of God (page 22)

     I know that my mother cried a many of times from decisions I made.

• (multitude) crowd, mob; see also Thesaurus:commonalty
• (considerable number) abundance, , deal; see also Thesaurus:lot

• French: le plus grand nombre
• Portuguese: massa, multidão
• Russian: мно́гие

many (comparative more, superlative most)

1. A large number of; numerous.

• multiple, several; see also Thesaurus:manifold

1. A town/parish seat in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Named after a Colonel Many.