"the more the merrier" meaning in English

See the more the merrier in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Etymology: First recorded in the 14th-century poem Pearl, line 850. The phrase contains an instance of the comparative correlative use of the. Head templates: {{head|en|proverb|head=}} the more the merrier, {{en-proverb}} the more the merrier
  1. Something is more fun with more people. Translations (it is more fun with more people): com més serem, més riurem (Catalan), 多多益善 (duō duō yì shàn) (Chinese Mandarin), 越多越好 (yuè duō yuè hǎo) (Chinese Mandarin), desto flere, desto sjovere (Danish), hoe meer zielen, hoe meer vreugd (Dutch), mida rohkem, seda uhkem (Estonian), enempi parempi (Finnish), plus on est de fous, plus on rit (French), je mehr, desto besser (German), όσο περισσότεροι, τόσο καλύτερα (óso perissóteroi, tóso kalýtera) (Greek), minél többen vagyunk, annál jobban érezzük magunkat (english: we…) (Hungarian), minél többen vannak, annál jobban érzik magukat (english: they…) (Hungarian), makin banyak makin meriah (Indonesian), semakin banyak semakin meriah (Indonesian), più siamo meglio è (Italian), 多多益益弁ず (tata masumasu benzu) (Japanese), 다다익선 (dadaikseon) (alt: 多多益善) (Korean), jo flere, desto bedre (Norwegian), jo flere, jo bedre (Norwegian), w kupie raźniej (Polish), quanto mais, melhor (Portuguese), чем бо́льше, тем веселе́е (čem bólʹše, tem veseléje) (english: literal) (Russian), в тесноте́, да не в оби́де (v tesnoté, da ne v obíde) (Russian), чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше (čem bólʹše, tem lúčše) (Russian), cuantos más, mejor (Spanish), ju fler desto roligare (Swedish), ju fler desto bättre (Swedish), càng đông càng vui (Vietnamese), pus k' on est d' sots, pus k' on reye (Walloon), pus çk' on-z est d' sots, pus çk' on reye (Walloon)
    Sense id: en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-meALlLNi Disambiguation of 'it is more fun with more people': 94 2 4
  2. A greater amount of something is better. Translations (a greater amount of something is better): hoe meer, hoe beter (Dutch), enempi parempi (Finnish), ⁧כמה שיותר, יותר טוב⁩ (Hebrew), minél több, annál jobb (van / van belőle) (Hungarian), makin banyak makin bagus (Indonesian), semakin banyak semakin bagus (Indonesian), 枯れ木も山の賑わい (Kareki mo yama no nigiwai) (Japanese), melius abundāre quam dēficere (Latin), quanto mais, melhor (Portuguese), чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше (čem bólʹše, tem lúčše) (Russian), cuanto más, mejor (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-Sx~K1Jes Disambiguation of 'a greater amount of something is better': 1 97 2
  3. Used to welcome another person into a group activity or encourage them to join in, suggesting that they will be easily accommodated.
    Sense id: en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-Wa3u8WYe

Download JSON data for the more the merrier meaning in English (7.0kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [],
  "etymology_text": "First recorded in the 14th-century poem Pearl, line 850. The phrase contains an instance of the comparative correlative use of the.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "the more the merrier",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "the more the merrier",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Something is more fun with more people."
      ],
      "id": "en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-meALlLNi",
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "com més serem, més riurem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "duō duō yì shàn",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "多多益善"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "yuè duō yuè hǎo",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "越多越好"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "desto flere, desto sjovere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "hoe meer zielen, hoe meer vreugd"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "mida rohkem, seda uhkem"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "enempi parempi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "plus on est de fous, plus on rit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "je mehr, desto besser"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "óso perissóteroi, tóso kalýtera",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "όσο περισσότεροι, τόσο καλύτερα"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "we…",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "minél többen vagyunk, annál jobban érezzük magunkat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "they…",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "minél többen vannak, annál jobban érzik magukat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "makin banyak makin meriah"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "semakin banyak semakin meriah"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "più siamo meglio è"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "tata masumasu benzu",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "多多益益弁ず"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "alt": "多多益善",
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "dadaikseon",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "다다익선"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "jo flere, desto bedre"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "jo flere, jo bedre"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "w kupie raźniej"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "quanto mais, melhor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "literal",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem veseléje",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "чем бо́льше, тем веселе́е"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "v tesnoté, da ne v obíde",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "в тесноте́, да не в оби́де"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem lúčše",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "cuantos más, mejor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "ju fler desto roligare"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "ju fler desto bättre"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "càng đông càng vui"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "wa",
          "lang": "Walloon",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "pus k' on est d' sots, pus k' on reye"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "94 2 4",
          "code": "wa",
          "lang": "Walloon",
          "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
          "word": "pus çk' on-z est d' sots, pus çk' on reye"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A greater amount of something is better."
      ],
      "id": "en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-Sx~K1Jes",
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "hoe meer, hoe beter"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "enempi parempi"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "⁧כמה שיותר, יותר טוב⁩"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "minél több, annál jobb (van / van belőle)"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "makin banyak makin bagus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "semakin banyak semakin bagus"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "Kareki mo yama no nigiwai",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "枯れ木も山の賑わい"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "melius abundāre quam dēficere"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "quanto mais, melhor"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem lúčše",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 97 2",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
          "word": "cuanto más, mejor"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used to welcome another person into a group activity or encourage them to join in, suggesting that they will be easily accommodated."
      ],
      "id": "en-the_more_the_merrier-en-proverb-Wa3u8WYe"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Pearl (poem)"
  ],
  "word": "the more the merrier"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [],
  "etymology_text": "First recorded in the 14th-century poem Pearl, line 850. The phrase contains an instance of the comparative correlative use of the.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "the more the merrier",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "the more the merrier",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Something is more fun with more people."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A greater amount of something is better."
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used to welcome another person into a group activity or encourage them to join in, suggesting that they will be easily accommodated."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "com més serem, més riurem"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "duō duō yì shàn",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "多多益善"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "yuè duō yuè hǎo",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "越多越好"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "desto flere, desto sjovere"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "hoe meer zielen, hoe meer vreugd"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "mida rohkem, seda uhkem"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "enempi parempi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "plus on est de fous, plus on rit"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "je mehr, desto besser"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "óso perissóteroi, tóso kalýtera",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "όσο περισσότεροι, τόσο καλύτερα"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "we…",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "minél többen vagyunk, annál jobban érezzük magunkat"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "they…",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "minél többen vannak, annál jobban érzik magukat"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "makin banyak makin meriah"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "semakin banyak semakin meriah"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "più siamo meglio è"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "tata masumasu benzu",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "多多益益弁ず"
    },
    {
      "alt": "多多益善",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "dadaikseon",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "다다익선"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "jo flere, desto bedre"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "jo flere, jo bedre"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "w kupie raźniej"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "quanto mais, melhor"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "literal",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem veseléje",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "чем бо́льше, тем веселе́е"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "v tesnoté, da ne v obíde",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "в тесноте́, да не в оби́де"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem lúčše",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "cuantos más, mejor"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "ju fler desto roligare"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "ju fler desto bättre"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "càng đông càng vui"
    },
    {
      "code": "wa",
      "lang": "Walloon",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "pus k' on est d' sots, pus k' on reye"
    },
    {
      "code": "wa",
      "lang": "Walloon",
      "sense": "it is more fun with more people",
      "word": "pus çk' on-z est d' sots, pus çk' on reye"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "hoe meer, hoe beter"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "enempi parempi"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "⁧כמה שיותר, יותר טוב⁩"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "minél több, annál jobb (van / van belőle)"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "makin banyak makin bagus"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "semakin banyak semakin bagus"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "Kareki mo yama no nigiwai",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "枯れ木も山の賑わい"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "melius abundāre quam dēficere"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "quanto mais, melhor"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "čem bólʹše, tem lúčše",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "чем бо́льше, тем лу́чше"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a greater amount of something is better",
      "word": "cuanto más, mejor"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "Pearl (poem)"
  ],
  "word": "the more the merrier"
}

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