Multicore cable

A multicore cable is a type of electrical cable that combines multiple signals or power feeds into a single jacketed cable. The term is normally only used in relation to a cable that has more cores than commonly encountered. Not all cables with multiple insulated conductors are called multicore cables – the core in multicore refers to the number of usable connections made, not the number of conductors or wires. In most cases, a "usable connection" requires multiple conductors, such as the positive and negative conductors used for DC power.

For example, a standard three-conductor mains cable is never referred to as multicore, but a cable comprising four coaxial cables in a single sheath would be considered multicore. Confusingly, the term multicore is occasionally used to refer to the number of individual conductors rather than the number of connections, especially in Europe. A cable with multiple conductors, but not a multicore cable, is usually called a multi-conductor or multi-wire cable.