pluri-comb. form
Forming chiefly adjectives with the sense ‘several, more than one’. Frequently indicating the presence or involvement of more than one of the thing denoted by the second element.† pluricapsular adj. Zoology Obsolete rare having several capsules, as certain colonial radiolarians.† plurifoetation n. Medicine Obsolete rare the conception of more than one fetus at the same time.† pluriflagellate adj. Zoology Obsolete rare having many flagella.† plurimammate adj. Zoology Obsolete rare having more than two nipples.Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.† plurispiral adj. Zoology Obsolete rare having several spiral coils or convolutions; multispiral.† plurivalve adj. Zoology Obsolete having several valves.
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1890 Cent. Dict. Pluricapsular, having several capsules; specifically, polycyttarian, as a radiolarian.
1897 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon Pluricapsular, having, or made up of, several capsules.
pluricellular adj. 
/ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɛljᵿlə/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɛljᵿlə/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɛljᵿlə//ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɛljᵿlə/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈsɛljələr/
Botany and Zoology composed of several cells./ˌplʊrəˈsɛljələr/ΚΠ
1871 Harper's Mag. Oct. 788/1 Pelobius represents a pluricellular organism, and is not to be referred to the so-called monera, like Bathybius haeckelii.
1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 61 Among the branched forms,..those described under the unicellular hairs recur as pluricellular.
2003 Biochem. Jrnl. 376 71 Self-preservation is a typical property of living organisms, observed in the simplest prokaryotic cell as well as in the more complex pluricellular organisms.
pluricuspid adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈkʌspɪd/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈkʌspɪd/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈkʌspɪd//ˌplɔːrᵻˈkʌspɪd/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈkəspəd/
Zoology of a tooth (esp. a radular tooth) having several cusps./ˌplʊrəˈkəspəd/ΚΠ
1880 A. Günther Introd. Study of Fishes 194 A jaw-like bar with pluricuspid teeth.
1962 Jrnl. Animal Ecol. 31 457 For determination of species we relied ultimately on the shape of the pluricuspid radula teeth.
pluridentate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈdɛnteɪt/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈdɛnteɪt/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈdɛnteɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈdɛnteɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈdɛnˌteɪt/
Zoology and Botany having many toothlike processes or appendages./ˌplʊrəˈdɛnˌteɪt/ΚΠ
1873 Proc. Amer. Philos. Soc. 13 286 Prosternal lobe with marginal line distinct. Anterior tibiæ pluridentate.
1922 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 9 20 Plants clustered..terminal branches somewhat enlarged and pluridentate.
1959 Amer. Midland Naturalist 62 271 The pluridentate, broadly ovate to suborbicular leaves eliminate confusion with all but two of our species.
pluridimensional adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻdʌɪˈmɛnʃən(ə)l/, /ˌplʊərᵻdᵻˈmɛnʃən(ə)l/, /ˌplɔːrᵻdᵻˈmɛnʃən(ə)l/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻdʌɪˈmɛnʃən(ə)l/
, /ˌplʊərᵻdʌɪˈmɛnʃən(ə)l//ˌplɔːrᵻdʌɪˈmɛnʃən(ə)l//ˌplʊərᵻdᵻˈmɛnʃən(ə)l//ˌplɔːrᵻdᵻˈmɛnʃən(ə)l/U.S. /ˌplʊrədəˈmɛn(t)ʃ(ə)nəl/
having several dimensions; multidimensional./ˌplʊrədəˈmɛn(t)ʃ(ə)nəl/ΚΠ
1934 Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. 46 621 The problem of the present experiment was to determine whether unidimensional consciousness is really more immediate than pluridimensional consciousness.
1998 P. McGuiness in M. Freeman et al. Process of Art 85 Mallarmé's writings about theatre..offer altogether more sophisticated and pluridimensional insights into issues of reading and performance.
pluri-disciplinary adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻdɪsᵻˈplɪn(ə)ri/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈdɪsᵻplᵻn(ə)ri/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈdɪsᵻplᵻn(ə)ri/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻdɪsᵻˈplɪn(ə)ri/
, /ˌplʊərᵻdɪsᵻˈplɪn(ə)ri//ˌplɔːrᵻdɪsᵻˈplɪn(ə)ri//ˌplʊərᵻˈdɪsᵻplᵻn(ə)ri//ˌplɔːrᵻˈdɪsᵻplᵻn(ə)ri/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈdɪsəpləˌnɛri/
[compare French pluridisciplinaire (1967)] consisting of or embracing several disciplines or branches of learning, multidisciplinary./ˌplʊrəˈdɪsəpləˌnɛri/ΘΚΠ
society > education > [adjective] > general
liberal1509
encyclical1616
encyclic1867
multidisciplined1942
multidisciplinary1944
pluri-disciplinary1970
transdisciplinary1979
1970 Guardian Weekly 14 May 12/1 The substitution of medium-sized pluri-disciplinary universities for the existing monstrous faculties.
1991 New Scientist 30 Nov. 13/3 He equated scientific specialism with the factory production line and demanded a ‘pluri-disciplinary’ approach to the problems of the modern world.
ΚΠ
1890 J. S. Billings National Med. Dict. II Plurifetation.
ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. Pluriflagellate, having several flagella, as an infusorian; polymastigate.
plurifoliate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪət/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪeɪt/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪeɪt/, /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliˌeɪt/ Botany having many leaves.
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪət/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪət//ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪət//ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪeɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪeɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliət/
, /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliət//ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliˌeɪt/ΚΠ
1897 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon Plurifoliate, having many leaves.
1986 Brittonia 38 296 Shrubs 0.5-1.5 m tall... Sympodial units plurifoliate.
1992 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 79 35/1 Both are similar in many respects..plurifoliate inflorescences.
plurifoliolate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪələt/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪəleɪt/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪəleɪt/, /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliəˌleɪt/ Botany (of a leaf) having many leaflets; multifoliolate.
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪələt/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪələt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪələt//ˌplʊərᵻˈfəʊlɪəleɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈfəʊlɪəleɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliələt/
, /ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliələt//ˌplʊrəˈfoʊliəˌleɪt/ΚΠ
1864 Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Plurifoliolate.
1991 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 78 177/2 A tree 18 m with trunk 1.5 dm DBH..plurifoliolate leaves.
1992 Brittonia 44 230/2 The distichous plurifoliolate leaves olivaceous subconcolorous.
pluriform adj. /ˈplɔːrᵻfɔːm/,
Brit. /ˈplʊərᵻfɔːm/
, /ˈplʊərᵻfɔːm//ˈplɔːrᵻfɔːm/U.S. /ˈplʊrəˌfɔrm/
[after French pluriforme (1936 in the passage translated in quot. 1938; compare classical Latin plūriformis] existing in many different forms; multiform./ˈplʊrəˌfɔrm/ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > [adjective] > having many or all forms
variformed1578
milliformc1581
Protean1594
multiform1603
shapeful?1615
omniform1642
polymorphean1656
diversiform1660
variform1662
multiformousa1670
proteiform1724
various1725
versiform1727
polymorphous1798
maniform?1811
polymorphic1816
pantomorphic1836
omniformal1848
polymorph1872
pluriform1938
1938 M. R. Adamson tr. J. Maritain True Humanism 161 It is towards the perfection of the natural law and of christian rectitude that the pluriform juridical structure [Fr. la structure juridique pluriforme] of the city would be orientated.
1973 Times 28 May 9/6 The remarks regarding churchmanship can only be described as naive; most Anglicans know their Church to be pluriform.
2004 Atlanta Inquirer (Nexis) 14 Feb. 6 Classics are pluriform. They may be works of art, historical events, exemplary persons or texts.
pluriformity n. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈfɔːmᵻti/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈfɔːmᵻti/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈfɔːmᵻti//ˌplɔːrᵻˈfɔːmᵻti/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈfɔrmədi/
diversity or variety of forms./ˌplʊrəˈfɔrmədi/ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > [noun] > condition of having many or all shapes
multiformity1589
omniformity1644
variformity1702
multiformness1727
omniformness1727
polymorphism1839
polymorphy1846
multiforma1849
pluriformity1947
1947 Theology 50 419 The pluriformity of the churches is undoubtedly a sin of Christendom.
2000 P. R. Baehr in D. P. Forsythe Human Rights & Compar. Foreign Policy iii. 59 The Labour Party..sees foreign policy as the promotion of not just national economic interests, but also pluriformity, tolerance, democracy, and openness.
pluriguttulate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈɡʌtjᵿlət/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈɡʌtjᵿleɪt/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈɡʌtjᵿleɪt/, /ˌplʊrəˈɡətʃəˌleɪt/ Botany now rare (of a spore) containing many guttules or oil-like globules.
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈɡʌtjᵿlət/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈɡʌtjᵿlət//ˌplɔːrᵻˈɡʌtjᵿlət//ˌplʊərᵻˈɡʌtjᵿleɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈɡʌtjᵿleɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈɡətʃələt/
, /ˌplʊrəˈɡətʃələt//ˌplʊrəˈɡətʃəˌleɪt/ΚΠ
1891 Bot. Gaz. 16 284 The ascospores are linear, hyaline, pluriguttulate and pluriseptate.
1895 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon Pluriguttulate, containing many drops or drop-like bodies.
1921 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 8 386 Spores yellow in spore collection, simple at first, then pluriguttulate.
plurilingual adj. and n. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l//ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/
(a) adj. relating to, involving, or fluent in a number of languages; multilingual; (b) n. a person who speaks a number of languages./ˌplʊrəˈlɪŋɡw(ə)l/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [adjective] > multilingual
polyglot1650
many-languaged1655
pantoglossical1716
polyglottic1801
polyglottal1837
multilingual1838
polylingual1857
polyglottous1861
polyglotted1868
omnilingual1893
tongue-speaking1902
plurilingual1930
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [noun] > trilingualism or multilingualism > one who speaks many languages
polyglot1650
polyglottist1663
polylinguist1749
pantoglot1895
polyglotter1912
multilinguist1923
plurilingual1930
multilingual1956
1930 N.Y. Times 19 Oct. e7/2 Under the Association for Plurilingual Education, children almost from the cradle to college attend six hours of classes and games daily in four languages.
1936 W. E. Rappard Govt. Switzerland i. 8 Pluri-lingual Grisons and French speaking Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva..were admitted as full cantons into the Confederation.
1956 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. xxvi. 9 Strictly speaking, a bilingual..is one who knows two languages, but will here (as commonly) be used to include also the one who knows more than two, variously known, as a plurilingual, a multilingual, or a polyglot.
1994 Lang. in Society 33 273 J. R. Reimen's analysis of the plurilingual situation in Luxembourg.
plurilingualism n. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪŋɡwəlɪz(ə)m/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪŋɡwəlɪz(ə)m/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪŋɡwəlɪz(ə)m//ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪŋɡwəlɪz(ə)m/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈlɪŋɡwəˌlɪz(ə)m/
fluency in a number of languages./ˌplʊrəˈlɪŋɡwəˌlɪz(ə)m/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [noun] > trilingualism or multilingualism
polyglottology1658
polyglottery1834
pantoglottism1848
polyglottism1852
polyglossy1910
multilingualism1916
plurilingualism1934
trilingualism1934
polylingualism1939
polyglossia1975
1934 Times 16 Nov. 1116/2 Plurilingualism carried a risk of psychological disturbances and impaired the faculty for verbal expression.
1997 J.-M. Charpentier et al. in A. Tabouret-Keller et al. Vernacular Literacy 231 This plurilingualism is being rapidly displaced by the shared use of pidgins.
pluriliteral adj. and n. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪt(ə)rəl/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪt(ə)rl̩/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪt(ə)rl̩/, /ˌplʊrəˈlɪtrəl/ Semitic Grammar (a) adj. containing more than three letters in the root (now rare); cf. biliteral adj., triliteral adj. (b) n. a root consisting of more than three letters.
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪt(ə)rəl/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪt(ə)rəl//ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪt(ə)rəl//ˌplʊərᵻˈlɪt(ə)rl̩//ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɪt(ə)rl̩/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈlɪdərəl/
, /ˌplʊrəˈlɪdərəl//ˌplʊrəˈlɪtrəl/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > morphology > morpheme > [noun] > root > with specific number of letters
pluriliteral1762
biliteral1791
stem1874
the mind > language > linguistics > study of grammar > morphology > morpheme > [adjective] > relating to roots > specific
pluriliteral1762
set1897
1762 J. Parkhurst Hebrew & Eng. Lexicon Pref. p. v The Supplement, in which..both the simple and the pluriliteral words are placed together alphabetically.
1831 S. Lee Gram. Hebrew Lang. (1832) 221 On these pluriliteral verbs [etc.].
1839 C. W. H. Pauli Analecta Hebraica xxviii. 209 It does not belong to the province of this book to trace the Pluri-literals..to their original roots.
1948 Jrnl. Amer. Oriental Soc. 68 135 (subtitle) Pluriliterals.
plurilocular adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɒkjᵿlə/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɒkjᵿlə/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈlɒkjᵿlə//ˌplɔːrᵻˈlɒkjᵿlə/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈlɑkjələr/
[after French pluriloculaire (1803)] Biology containing many cavities or cells./ˌplʊrəˈlɑkjələr/ΘΚΠ
the world > life > biology > physical aspects or shapes > indentation or cavity > [adjective] > depression or cavity > composed of or containing
cellulate?a1425
follicular1677
vesiculara1682
cellulated1693
vesiculous1698
folliculate1699
biventrous1702
trilocular1753
unilocular1753
folliculous1757
folliculated1771
bilocular1783
loculated1794
scrobiculate1804
locular?1806
vesiculose1817
plurilocular1819
uniloculate1830
sacculated1835
vesiculigerous1846
vesiculiferous1859
scrobiculated1860
sacculate1870
biloculate1874
bilocellate1880
scrobiculous1889
folliculose1900
physaliphorous1923
physaliferous1954
1819 J. Lindley tr. L.-C. Richard Observ. Struct. Fruits & Seeds 83 Having the appearance of being plurilocular [Fr. pluriloculaire], but proceeding from an unilocular ovarium.
1961 R. W. Butcher New Illustr. Brit. Flora I. 19 Sometimes several carpels..are united along the flat sides, so forming a plurilocular ovary of 2—many cells.
1987 R. L. Fletcher Seaweeds Brit. Isles III. i. 32 (caption) Paraphyses variously associated with both plurilocular (9) and unilocular sporangia.
ΚΠ
1896 New Sydenham Soc. Lexicon Plurimammate.
plurimodal adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈməʊdl/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈməʊdl/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈməʊdl//ˌplɔːrᵻˈməʊdl/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈmoʊd(ə)l/
relating to or involving more than one mode (in various senses); esp. (Statistics) = multimodal adj. 1./ˌplʊrəˈmoʊd(ə)l/ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > existence > state or condition > [adjective] > having two or many modes of existence
amphibian1637
amphibolous1644
plurimodal1935
1935 Q. Rev. Biol. 10 462/1 The anthropological data are mostly presented in the form of frequency curves, the majority of which are plurimodal.
1949 R. Wellek & E. A. Warren Theory of Lit. iii. 25 The alternative to these seems some bi-modal or pluri~modal truth.
1951 G. S. Carter Animal Evol. i. 26 If for the specimens collected at one horizon we plot a variability curve..,the curve..should have an apex for each of the mixed populations (pluri-modal) if the population consists of distinct but mixed elements.
1996 R. D. Kent et al. in N. J. Lass Princ. Exper. Phonetics i. 35 The feedback is probably plurimodal, involving taction, movement, position, aerodynamic, and other signals.
plurinominal adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈnɒmᵻnl/, /ˌplʊrəˈnɑmn(ə)l/ (a) Politics relating to or designating a form of proportional representation in which votes are cast and counted for a list of named candidates collectively, rather than for individuals; †(b) Taxonomy having or using scientific names consisting of more than two words (rare).
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈnɒmᵻnl/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈnɒmᵻnl//ˌplɔːrᵻˈnɒmᵻnl/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈnɑmən(ə)l/
, /ˌplʊrəˈnɑmən(ə)l//ˌplʊrəˈnɑmn(ə)l/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > naming > [adjective] > having many names
multinominousa1631
parti named1634
multinominal1656
polyonymous1678
polynomial1704
heteronymous1734
polynome1830
plurinominal1881
poecilonymic1889
polyonymic1889
polynomic1898
1881 Times 12 Mar. 11/2 M. Gambetta..is thought to be anxious to return to the plurinominal system of voting..while M. Grévy..adheres to the uninominal system.
1884 Auk 1 320 Perceiving sundry objections to binomial, etc., some have sought to obviate them by using binominal, uninominal, plurinominal, etc.
1975 Times 20 Mar. 5/4 Deputies will be elected [to the Portuguese Assembly] on the basis of plurinominal party lists except in constituencies of less than 37,000 electors.
2003 El Paso (Texas) Times (Nexis) 5 July (Borderland section) 1 b Registered voters will..select a party for the congress's 200 ‘plurinominal’ seats, which are filled, proportionally, by the political parties.
plurinucleate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪət/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪt/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪt/, /ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliˌeɪt/ Biology (of a cell) having more than one nucleus; multinucleate.
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪət/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪət//ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪət//ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliət/
, /ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliət//ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliˌeɪt/ΚΠ
1885 Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 12 34 Spores subcylindrical..sometimes plurinucleate.
1900 Ann. Bot. 14 672 A long curled cylindrical plurinucleate single cell.
1993 European Jrnl. Phycol. 28 69/1 The cells are uni- or plurinucleate and have a single reticulate chloroplast the number of pyrenoids in which, depends on the age and size of the cell.
plurinucleated adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪtᵻd/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪtᵻd/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪtᵻd//ˌplɔːrᵻˈnjuːlɪeɪtᵻd/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliˌeɪdᵻd/
Biology = plurinucleate adj./ˌplʊrəˈn(j)ukliˌeɪdᵻd/ΚΠ
1887 H. E. F. Garnsey & I. B. Balfour tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Morphol. & Biol. Fungi 498 Plasmodium, in Mycetozoa: body of naked plurinucleated protoplasm exhibiting amoeboid motion.
1914 Bot. Gaz. 58 5 A number of instances of plurinucleated cells that have been figured by various authors are tabulated.
1994 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 91 7294/1 Primary s.c. [= spindle cell] tumors..showing large, blood-filled sacs lined by mono- or plurinucleated cells.
pluripartite adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈpɑːtʌɪt/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈpɑːtʌɪt/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈpɑːtʌɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈpɑːtʌɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈpɑrˌtaɪt/
[after French pluriparti (1815 in Mirbel) and scientific Latin pluripartitus (1815 in Mirbel)] Botany Obsolete rare (of a calyx, etc.) having many deep divisions.Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries./ˌplʊrəˈpɑrˌtaɪt/ΚΠ
1858 R. G. Mayne Expos. Lexicon Med. Sci. 984/1 Pluripartitus, applied by Mirbel to a calyx when it presents many incisions extended almost to its base..pluripartite.
pluriseptate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɛpteɪt/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɛpteɪt/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɛpteɪt//ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɛpteɪt/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈsɛpˌteɪt/
Botany having several septa or partitions./ˌplʊrəˈsɛpˌteɪt/ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. Pluriseptate,..having several septa, partitions, or dissepiments.
1929 New Phytologist 28 28/1 Spores pluriseptate, elongate-acicular, colourless.
1975 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 62 1073 A fungus developed which attacks nematodes..from a subglobose adhesive cell produced terminally on its elongate-ellipsoid pluriseptate hyaline conidia.
pluriseriate adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɪərɪət/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɪərɪət/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈsɪərɪət//ˌplɔːrᵻˈsɪərɪət/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈsɪriət/
[compare French plurisérié (1869 in Littré); compare earlier pluriserial adj.] Botany and Zoology consisting of or arranged in several series./ˌplʊrəˈsɪriət/ΚΠ
1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 521 In general so arranged that the sieve-tubes form single, biseriate, or pluriseriate [Ger. mehrfache], tangential rows.
1942 Amer. Jrnl. Bot. 29 646/2 Less than half a dozen filaments have been found with both uni- and pluriseriate organs.
1997 Systematic Biol. 46 424/2 Pappus of pluriseriate bristles.
plurisetose adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻˈsiːtəʊs/, /ˈplʊərᵻsᵻtəʊs/, /ˈplɔːrᵻsᵻtəʊs/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻˈsiːtəʊs/
, /ˌplʊərᵻˈsiːtəʊs//ˌplɔːrᵻˈsiːtəʊs//ˈplʊərᵻsᵻtəʊs//ˈplɔːrᵻsᵻtəʊs/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈsiˌtoʊs/
Botany and Zoology consisting of or having many setae./ˌplʊrəˈsiˌtoʊs/ΚΠ
1881 Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc. 9 107 Labial palpi long, the second joint elongate, plurisetose in front.
1927 Ann. Missouri Bot. Garden 14 4 The plurisetose pappus consists of a single row of rather coarse, slightly flattened bristles.
1980 Brittonia 32 146 Disk pappus of 12 or more plurisetose bristles.
ΚΠ
1890 Cent. Dict. Plurispiral, having several or many spiral turns; multispiral: specifically said of the opercula of some shells.
plurisporous adj. /plᵿˈrɪsp(ə)rəs/, /plɔːˈrɪsp(ə)rəs/, /ˌplʊərᵻˈspɔːrəs/, /ˌplɔːrᵻˈspɔːrəs/,
Brit. /plʊəˈrɪsp(ə)rəs/
, /plʊəˈrɪsp(ə)rəs//plᵿˈrɪsp(ə)rəs//plɔːˈrɪsp(ə)rəs//ˌplʊərᵻˈspɔːrəs//ˌplɔːrᵻˈspɔːrəs/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈspɔrəs/
Biology having many spores./ˌplʊrəˈspɔrəs/ΚΠ
1887 H. E. F. Garnsey & I. B. Balfour tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Morphol. & Biol. Fungi iii. 63 The simultaneously plurisporous [Ger. mehrsporigen] basidia of the Basidiomycetes are usually more or less broadly club-shaped before the formation of spores.
1989 New Phytologist 113 260/1 In the case of Basidiomycetes, these mycelia were mostly wild dikaryons isolated from mycorrhizas, sporocarp fragments or plurisporous germination.
plurisyllabic adj. /ˌplɔːrᵻsᵻˈlabɪk/,
Brit. /ˌplʊərᵻsᵻˈlabɪk/
, /ˌplʊərᵻsᵻˈlabɪk//ˌplɔːrᵻsᵻˈlabɪk/U.S. /ˌplʊrəsəˈlæbɪk/
[after Italian plurisillabico (1917 in the passage translated in quot. 1921); compare post-classical Latin plurisyllabus having several syllables (a1536)] (of a word) consisting of two or more syllables, polysyllabic; (of a language) containing such words./ˌplʊrəsəˈlæbɪk/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > [adjective] > syllable > consisting of > consisting of specific number > containing two or more syllables
polysyllable1589
sesquipedal1611
polysyllabical1656
sesquipedalian1656
polysyllabic1817
hyperdisyllable1843
multisyllabic1909
plurisyllabic1921
multisyllable1950
1921 D. Ainslie tr. B. Croce Theory & Hist. Historiography ix. 131 The passage from..the syllable to the aggregate of syllables (plurisyllabic languages [It. lingue plurisillabiche]).., and so on.
1995 B. L. M. Bauer Emergence & Devel. SVO Patterning Lat. & French v. 133 Plurisyllabic postposed adpositions..are attested only in early times and in poetic texts.
plurisyllable n. /ˈplɔːrᵻˌsɪləbl/, /ˈplʊrəˌsɪləb(ə)l/ a word of two or more syllables.
Brit. /ˈplʊərᵻˌsɪləbl/
, /ˈplʊərᵻˌsɪləbl//ˈplɔːrᵻˌsɪləbl/U.S. /ˌplʊrəˈsɪləb(ə)l/
, /ˌplʊrəˈsɪləb(ə)l//ˈplʊrəˌsɪləb(ə)l/ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > [noun] > syllabic sound > syllable > word having specific number > word having two or more syllables
polysyllable1570
polysyllabe1584
multisyllable1659
hyperdisyllable1678
sesquipedalian1830
plurisyllable1924
1924 J. S. Kenyon Amer. Pronunc. 30 A Plurisyllable is a word of more than one syllable.
1991 E. Dechant Understanding & Teaching Reading ix. 311 In plurisyllables such as linger, finger, and stronger, but not in singer, the ng represents /ng-g/.
ΚΠ
1851 S. F. Baird tr. J. G. Heck Iconogr. Encycl. II. Zool. 170 Abdomen with an elongate plurivalve oviduct.
1853 Harper's Mag. July 220/2 Naturalists have divided shells into five orders—univalve, bivalve, plurivalve, multivalve, and sub-bivalve.
plurivorous adj. /plᵿˈrɪv(ə)rəs/, /plɔːˈrɪv(ə)rəs/,
Brit. /plʊəˈrɪv(ə)rəs/
, /plʊəˈrɪv(ə)rəs//plᵿˈrɪv(ə)rəs//plɔːˈrɪv(ə)rəs/U.S. /plʊˈrɪv(ə)rəs/
Biology (esp. of a fungus) feeding on substrates or hosts of several different kinds./plʊˈrɪv(ə)rəs/ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > by nutrition or respiration > [adjective] > parasitic
foliicolous1874
plurivorous1899
hemiparasitic1902
1899 Nat. Sci. Dec. 389 Professor Dietal..considers the question of their descent from one or more plurivorous forms—forms, that is, which inhabited indifferently hosts belonging to the most different families of flowering plants.
1973 R. G. Krueger et al. Introd. Microbiol. xxx. 742/1 Many types of fungi are presently described simply as ‘plurivorous’.
2000 Jrnl. Biogeogr. (Nexis) 27 297 Similarly, plurivorous, but temperate or widespread fungi were associated with Trachycarpus fortunei.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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comb. form1762