The English language isn’t always very predictable. A lot of times, this has to do with word patterns adapted from other languages. Most commonly these trends can be located as having origins in the Latin language. Countless nouns have deep roots in these ancient origins, as do many numeric words. Perhaps that is what makes it so difficult to predict certain words such as single, double, triple, quadruple,… the question is, what comes next?
These first four words are common enough in the English language to understand that single means one, double means two, triple means three, and quadruple means four. The question then becomes what comes after “quadruple”? These subsequent numbers follow very closely the patterns reminiscent of the Latin language. As a result, the number following “quadruple” is “quintuple”. After “quintuple” comes the number “sextuple”, having been derived directly from the Latin word for “six” (“sex”). “Septuple” represents the seventh entry, “octuple” for the eighth. “Nonuple” serves as the ninth, “decuple” the tenth. After those entries, eleventh through twentieth exist as “undecuple”, “duodecuple”, “tredecuple”, “quattuordecuple”, “quindecuple”, “sexdecuple”, “septendecuple”, “octodecuple”, “novemdecuple”, and “viguple”.
Although these terms can be generated for virtually any number needed, it is exceedingly rare for larger values to be used in everyday language. Generally speaking, “quadruple” is not often exceeded. Even in describing babies, terms like “triplets” may be occasionally used, but it is far less common to talk about “quadruplets”, or “quintuplets”, and especially “sextuplets”. Regardless of usage, however, these words all remain important.
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