What is the usage difference between "multiple" and "multi"? I have an algorithm that uses more than one agent. Should I call it multi-agent or multiple-agents algorithm?

Understanding the Context

Yes, the prefix multi is valid in American English, and usually used unhyphenated. You can see dozens of examples on Wiktionary or Merriam-Webster. If your grammar and spelling checker fails to accept it, it should be overridden manually. Existence of "multi" in US English - English Language & Usage Stack ...

Key Insights

I often hear native English speakers pronouncing "multi-" as ['mʌltaɪ] (mul-tie), however all the dictionaries are saying that the only way to pronounce it is ['mʌltɪ] (mul-ty). Example words: First, "more than one" and "many" are acceptable meanings for " multiple." 1 : consisting of, including, or involving more than one: multiple births, multiple choices 2 : MANY, MANIFOLD multiple achievements: He suffered multiple injuries in the accident. We could stop there, but we can do better. "Multiple," many authorities and kibitzers contend, is best used to describe separation ... Does "multiple" mean simply "more than one" or is it better used to ...

Final Thoughts

In academia the words inter-discipline, multi-discipline, trans-discipline, or cross-discipline are used to describe a type of combination between different disciplines or the uniqueness of a field.