polyphasicadj.
/ˌpɒlɪˈfeɪzɪk/, U.S. /ˌpɑliˈfeɪzɪk/ Chiefly Physiology.
1. Characterized by or exhibiting several successive peaks of activity.
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polyphasic1901
1901 Proc. Royal Soc. 68 483 (caption) Polyphasic effect of direct excitation.
1936 Brit. Jrnl. Psychol. 27 71 We observed three types of voluntary movements: The ‘motor impulse effect’, the polyphasic movement and the amorphous movement.
1968 Brit. Med. Bull. 24 257/2 An example..is the so-called ‘polyphasic’ potentials occurring following partial denervation, in which a normal spike with a duration of several msec. is replaced by a repetitive series of much shorter spikes.
2002 Independent 26 Jan. (Mag.) 18/3 Working with clients like yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, Stampi has developed a strategy of polyphasic sleep, or multiple napping.
2. Chemistry and Physics. Consisting of two or more coexisting phases.
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1913 R. S. Lillie in Science 27 June 963 The living protoplasm is not a homogeneous solution, but is a ‘polyphasic system’; i.e., a mixture consisting of various substances and solutions which are only partly miscible with one another.
1926 H. S. Hatfield tr. H. Freundlich Colloid & Capillary Chem. vi. 659 The majority of investigators also consider gels as polyphasic.
1983 Jrnl. Physical Chem. 87 1030/2 We prepare 15 ml of a polyphasic mixture which contains approximately 95% of alcohol of the continuous phase necessary to form a microemulsion.
2004 Billings Gaz. (Montana) (Nexis) 23 Oct. This polyphasic beverage is made by forcing perfectly temperatured water..through finely ground coffee particles. This process creates an emulsion of microscopic oils trapped in a solution of sugars, acids, protein materials [etc.].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1901