Sevenfolds

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Describing an amount multiplied by seven ; indicating an increase to seven times the original ; expressing something expanded or intensified by a factor of seven
2. Referring to a quantity that is seven times greater ; signifying a sevenfold increase or amplification ; denoting something augmented to the seventh degree
3. Characterizing a multiplication by the number seven ; showing an enhancement seven times over ; representing something enlarged or compounded in seven parts

Etymology: "Sevenfolds" is the plural of "sevenfold," which is a plain compound of "seven" and "fold." "Fold" comes from Old English "-feald," a suffix that meant "times over" or "in layers," so "sevenfold" means literally "seven layers" or "seven times over." The same suffix appears in "twofold," "threefold," and "manifold," and it was used to build multiplying adjectives throughout Old and Middle English. The plural form is less common because "sevenfold" is usually used as an adjective or adverb, with no natural plural. When it does appear as a noun, it is in the sense of several sevenfold units or increases, which is why the form is rare in ordinary writing.

Synonyms: seven times, septuple, sevenfold, sevenfold increase, seven times over

Antonyms: single, onefold, single time