sextuple

Sextuple is a term meaning sixfold. As an adjective, it describes something composed of six parts. As a noun, sextuple can refer to a group of six items; in mathematics it is used to denote a six-tuple, an ordered sequence of six elements. The verb form sextuple means to multiply by six or to increase sixfold.

In mathematics and computer science, a sextuple (also written as a six-tuple or 6-tuple) is an ordered collection of six elements. For example, (a, b, c, d, e, f) is a sextuple. The concept belongs to the broader family of n-tuples, which generalizes to triples, quadruples, and so on. Sextuples appear in areas such as coordinate systems, data structures, and formal languages.

In biology and obstetrics, sextuplets refer to six offspring born in a single birth. The term is most commonly used in plural form, sextuplets, to describe six babies delivered at once. Sextuplets are rare and have been the subject of medical case reports and discussions on prenatal care and neonatal outcomes.

In music, a sextuplet is a rhythmic figure comprising six notes played in the time normally allotted to four (or, in some contexts, three) notes of the same value, depending on meter. This six-note grouping is a common example of a musical tuplet used to create irregular subdivision within a beat.

Etymology: sextuple derives from the Latin sextus meaning six, combined with the English suffix -uple, as in quadruple and quintuple. It has been in use in various technical senses since the 18th century.