[[query-dsl-span-multi-term-query]]
=== Span multi-term query
++++
<titleabbrev>Span multi-term</titleabbrev>
++++

The `span_multi` query allows you to wrap a `multi term query` (one of wildcard,
fuzzy, prefix, range or regexp query) as a `span query`, so
it can be nested. Example:

[source,console]
--------------------------------------------------
GET /_search
{
  "query": {
    "span_multi": {
      "match": {
        "prefix": { "user.id": { "value": "ki" } }
      }
    }
  }
}
--------------------------------------------------

A boost can also be associated with the query:

[source,console]
--------------------------------------------------
GET /_search
{
  "query": {
    "span_multi": {
      "match": {
        "prefix": { "user.id": { "value": "ki", "boost": 1.08 } }
      }
    }
  }
}
--------------------------------------------------

WARNING: `span_multi` queries will hit too many clauses failure if the number of terms that match the query exceeds the
`indices.query.bool.max_clause_count` <<search-settings,search setting>>.
To avoid an unbounded expansion you can set the <<query-dsl-multi-term-rewrite,
rewrite method>> of the multi term query to `top_terms_*` rewrite. Or, if you use `span_multi` on `prefix` query only,
you can activate the <<index-prefixes,`index_prefixes`>> field option of the `text` field instead. This will
rewrite any prefix query on the field to a single term query that matches the indexed prefix.

