polyglotadj.n.
/ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/, U.S. /ˈpɑliˌɡlɑt/ A. adj.
1. Of a person: that speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages. Also in extended use.
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
1650 J. Howell Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ II. lviii. 83 Mithrydates the great Polyglot King of Pontus.
1656 T. Blount Glossographia Polyglot, that speaks many Languages, a Linguist.
1701 S. Hill Rights, Liberties, & Authorities Christian Church vii. 133 From the time that the Christian Faith was published to the World by the Polyglot trumpet of the Apostles.
1786 G. M. A. Baretti Tolondron 159 Another of the languages this Poliglot-John can copy out of his books.
1854 Liverpool Albion Nov. Always remarkable for plain speaking in his mother-tongue, though a polyglot linguist.
1873 P. G. Hamerton Intellect. Life (1875) iii. ix. 124 That there should be polyglot waiters who can tell us when the train starts in four or five languages.
1918 W. M. Kirkland Joys of being Woman iv. 44 A tall polyglot young Dutchman showed me through a most delicious cheese factory.
1985 A. Burgess Flame into Being v. 53 We love malgrado, malgré, trotz (as the new polyglot Lawrence would have put it, showing off).
2001 Independent (Nexis) 18 Feb. 12 A polymath, polyglot scholar.
2.
a. Written or uttered in a number of languages; spec. (of a book, esp. a bible) printed with the text translated into several languages.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [adjective] > multilingual > of or relating to many languages
polyglot?c1663
polyglottish1860
polyglottal1892
polyglottic1903
?c1663 B. Whitelocke Diary (1990) 457 Letter from Dr Walton acknowledging Wh[itelockes] favour & assistance for the publishing of the Poliglott Bible.
1673 B. Makin Ess. to revive Antient Educ. Gentlewomen 11 The Authors of the Polyglot-Bible.
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Polyglott, that is of many Languages, as, The Polyglott Bible, a Polyglott Dictionary.
1721 H. Wanley Diary 3 July (1966) I. 118 An Italian Abbat is willing to sell a most curious MS. of the Hebrew Bible..(which the Undertakers of our Polyglott Bible formerly offered largely for, but were refused).
1770 C. Inglis Let. 4 Dec. (1936) 119 I have lately got over [to America] Walton's Polyglott Bible.
1826 W. Scott Jrnl. 25 Oct. (1939) 256 Sotheby..endeavoured to saddle me for a review of his polyglot Virgil.
1881 Nature 29 Dec. 208/1 A French meteorological balloon, sent up..with a polyglot request that it be forwarded by the finder to the address given.
1918 Vanity Fair Dec. 48/2 Hot in our ears sounded their polyglot curses.
1985 A. N. Wilson Gentleman's Eng. (1986) ii. 19 Mr Chatterway would descend on London in person, with polyglot expressions of disgust at its mores, ton, Zeitgeist and risorgimento.
2000 Oxoniensia 64 53 Piers gave the Polyglot Bible during the first year of his short tenure of the archbishopric of York.
b. Characterized by a multiplicity of (native) languages; involving the use of several languages, or elements of several languages; multilingual. Also in extended use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [adjective] > multilingual > characterized by the use of many languages
pentecontaglossal1846
polyglot1851
octoglot1888
polyglossic1983
1851 Times 13 May 5/2 This gives some idea of the polyglot character of the entertainment.
1859 J. F. Maguire Rome (ed. 2) xxviii. 323 The different languages in which poetical compositions were recited at the Polyglot Academy, for Epiphany, 1858 [were]..Danish, Roumelian, Albanian, Polish, [etc.].
1884 G. Allen Philistia I. i. 4 The polyglot crowd of democratic solidarists.
1913 Forum Dec. 768 This brings us to the latest phase of this chaotic and polyglot age of painting—Synchromism.
1952 W. D. Jacobs William Barnes, Linguist i. 12 Dorset gave Barnes the material by which to judge the polyglot English of our day.
1965 Economist 3 Apr. 44/2 The use in, say, Cyprus of a polyglot (or mixed-manned) force.
1989 Dance Nov. 7/3 His accent is no more polyglot and inappropriate than Ingrid Bergman's was in most of her roles.
2004 Chicago Tribune (Nexis) 2 June n1 The polyglot city that is Chicago.
B. n.
1. † b. A bird that imitates the calls or song of other birds. Cf. mock-bird n. 1a, mockingbird n. 2. Obsolete.
a. A person who speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
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
1650 J. Howell Addit. Lett. viii. 16 in Epistolæ Ho-elianæ (ed. 2) A polygot [sic] or good linguist may be also term'd a usefull learned man.
1671 T. Pierce Coll. Serm. 300 Every one was so great a Linguist, (not only such a Polyglot, but such a Pantiglot in his speaking).
1766 Rhapsodies i. 17 A Polyglot—Who learnt all Languages, and none forgot.
1771 R. Jephson Epist. to G. E. Howard 22 The copious Polyglot of spleen.
1806 T. Moore Epistles, Odes 333 The Polymaths and Polyhistors, Polyglotts and all their sisters.
1895 H. Callan From Clyde to Jordan ix. 101 I disapprove of a man being a polyglot.
1932 Mod. Lang. Jrnl. 16 568 The successful anthropologists are as a class, polyglots.
1991 Times Educ. Suppl. 15 Mar. 28/4 We find Pound, the apparent polyglot, speaking on behalf of the most extreme form of nationalism the modern world has known.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > birds > sound or bird defined by > [noun] > bird that makes sound > that imitates or appears to be ventriloquist
polyglot1770
ventriloquist1802
1706 Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.) Polyglotta, the American Mock-bird, so call'd because it imitates the Notes of all Birds.]
1770 G. White Let. 15 Jan. in Nat. Hist. Selborne (1789) 124 The [sedge-bird] has a surprising variety of notes resembling the song of several other birds... It is..a delicate polyglot.
1776 T. Pennant Brit. Zool. (ed. 4, octavo) I. ii. 382 It [sc. the sedge warbler] is a most entertaining polyglot, or mocking bird.
2.
a. A book (esp. a bible) or other piece of writing in several languages.Complutensian Polyglot: see Complutensian adj.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > book > kind of book > [noun] > books in specific languages
polyglot1666
1666 S. Pepys Diary 5 Oct. (1972) VII. 310 Among others, the polyglottes and new Bible.
1690 T. Brown Reasons Mr. J. Hains Conversion 29 As much Leather..as wou'd serve to bind both the Polyglott, and the Councils.
1712 J. Henley tr. B. de Montfaucon Trav. Italy ii. 17 A Polyglot of the Acts of the Apostles,..in Armenian, Arabick, Coptick, and Ethiopick.
1769 T. Nugent tr. P. J. Grosley New Observ. Italy I. 131 All the Louvre editions, ancient and modern, le Jai's Polyglot..were sent to Rome by loads.
1840 Penny Cycl. XVIII. 355/2 Of the Complutensian Polyglott 600 copies only were printed.
1892 C. A. Briggs Bible, Church & Reason iv. 96 The great Polyglotts had settled that.
1922 Amer. Jrnl. Semitic Langs. & Lit. 38 106 The text of the Paris Polyglot contains a misprint.
1990 Bull. Hispanic Stud. 67 415/1 Dr. Percas..enfolds the sacred text with commentaries like the authors of the Complutensian Polyglot.
b. A mixture of several languages. Also figurative and in extended use.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > [noun] > creole or mixed language
patroillart1340
mixed language1592
jargon1643
lingua franca1666
Frank1681
polyglot1715
olla podrida1850
pidgin1869
Creole1871
Mischsprache1930
creolized language1932
Melanesian Pidgin1942
1715 in tr. G. Panciroli Hist. Memorable Things Lost I. Translator's Pref. sig. A5v I wish I had a Polyglot into which I might render it.
1794 J. Lettice Lett. Tour Scotl. vi. 83 A loudness, volubility, and confusion of tongues..such as naturally recalled the polyglot of Babel.
1830 A. Cunningham Lives Brit. Painters (ed. 2) II. 311 His wrath aired itself in a polyglott.
a1897 T. E. Brown Coll. Poems (1900) i. 78 Whereto the sea intones the polyglot Of water-pipes antiphonal.
1932 Times Lit. Suppl. 13 Oct. 725/1 In West Africa a genius for polyglot is the prime condition of admission into that freemasonry.
1991 E. A. Scarborough Nothing Sacred (1992) iv. 116 His polyglot of Indian syntax and Wild West slang is so weird I keep forgetting he's a jailer.
Derivatives
ˈpolyglotted adj. now rare speaking several languages, multilingual.
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
1868 ‘G. Greenwood’ Fanny Fern in J. Parton et al. Eminent Women of Age iii. 69 Poor, grand, old world-bewept, polyglotted Uncle Tom.
1898 Westm. Gaz. 22 Feb. 2/1 ‘The meat, m'sieu’,—though polyglotted, he is a Frenchman, I believe.
1989 Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 21 May 23 A peculiar noise rises, a drone that grows into a furious polyglotted babble.
ˈpolyglotter n. rare a multilingual person.
ΘΚΠ
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
1912 ‘R. Dehan’ Between Two Thieves 616 That white haired Polyglotter in the shabby togs..is a queer kind of chap.
1985 Economist (Nexis) 6 Apr. 32 (caption) Globe-trotter, polyglotter.
ˈpolyglottish adj. rare multilingual.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [adjective] > multilingual > of or relating to many languages
polyglot?c1663
polyglottish1860
polyglottal1892
polyglottic1903
1860 De Bow's Rev. Aug. 209 In Trinidad we have a polyglottish patois, composed of French, Spanish, English and African.
1878 E. Jenkins Haverholme 206 Screeching their raven-voiced praises in polyglottish discord.
1999 Seattle Weekly (Nexis) 6 May 45 A polyglottish province of mobsters, crooked politicians, and impoverished immigrants.
ˈpolyglottist n. now rare = sense B. 1a.
ΘΚΠ
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
1663 E. Leigh Fœlix Consortium II. vi. 55 Postell shews, that he was skilfull in fifteen Languages. Schindler and De Dieu were Polyglottists.
1890 Spectator 29 Mar. The great polyglottist, Mr. Thomas Watts, who probably surpassed the more famous Mezzofanti, gives his testimony to the linguistic importance of the work in a notable letter.
2005 wordorium.blogspot.com 11 Apr. (O.E.D. Archive) Asteroid pay-load landing specialist, and recreational polyglottist.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > speak a language [verb (transitive)] > render polyglot
polyglottize1871
1871 D. M. Mulock Fair France i. 37 Plain English (which we found ourselves rapidly forgetting, and becoming polyglottized).
ˈpolyglotwise adv. rare in a polyglot manner, like a polyglot; in several languages.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > a language > using or speaking languages > [adverb] > in many languages
polyglottally1839
polyglotwise1875
polyglottically1887
multilingually1922
1875 J. Grant One of Six Hundred vii. 53 We shall have..talked polyglot-wise with fellows of all nations.
1986 A. Stephens Dramaturgy of Style ii. 64 Other poems blend in and out polyglotwise.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1650