multistage
adjective
mul·ti·stage ˈməl-tē-ˌstāj 
-ˌtī-
1
: having successive operating stages
especially : having propulsion units that operate in turn
multistage rockets
2
: conducted by or occurring in stages
a multistage investigation
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web The two missile-engine tests at Sohae - a facility that Kim had pledged to dismantle - sparked speculation that North Korea is preparing to unveil a more powerful, multistage rocket to launch satellites into space. 
Joby Warrick, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Dec. 2019 The multistage rockets can now hit the lower 48 states, and there was a legitimate military threat that brought them to the table. Fox News, 13 June 2018 So the cactus has evolved a multistage approach to photosynthesis. Natalie Angier, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2017
Joby Warrick, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Dec. 2019 The multistage rockets can now hit the lower 48 states, and there was a legitimate military threat that brought them to the table. Fox News, 13 June 2018 So the cactus has evolved a multistage approach to photosynthesis. Natalie Angier, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2017 Word History
First Known Use
1904, in the meaning defined at sense 1