polydacˈtylism or polydacˈtyly noun

polydacˈtylous adjective

polydēˈmonism or polydaeˈmonism noun

The belief in and worship of numerous supernatural powers

polydipˈsia noun

(Gr dipsa thirst) excessive thirst

polyelecˈtrolyte noun

A polymer containing many electrolytic ions

polyemˈbryonate adjective

polyembryonic /-onˈik/ adjective

polyembryony /-emˈbri-ən-i/ noun

Formation of more than one embryo from one ovule or from one fertilized ovum

polyene /polˈi-ēn/ noun

A hydrocarbon with many carbon-carbon double bonds

polyesˈter noun

Any of a range of polymerized esters, some thermoplastic, some thermosetting, used in textiles

polyethˈylene noun

See polythene below (polyethylene glycol a hydrophilic hydrocarbon that interacts with the membranes of cells and is used in lubricants and emulsifiers)

polygala /pol-igˈə-lə/ noun

(Gr polygalon milkwort, gala milk) any plant of the milkwort genus Polygala, giving name to the family Polygalāˈceae

polygalaceous /-lāˈshəs/ adjective

polˈygam noun

(Gr gamos marriage) in Linnaeus's classification, a plant of the class Polygāˈmia, having male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers

polygamic /-gamˈik/ adjective

polygamist /pol-igˈ/ noun

polygˈamous adjective

polygˈamously adverb

polygamy /pol-igˈə-mi/ noun

1. The rule, custom, or condition of marriage to more than one person at a time, or (now rarely) in life
2. Sometimes used for polygyny
3. Mating with more than one in the same breeding season (zoology)
4. Occurrence of male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers on the same or on different plants (botany)

polˈygene /-jēn/ noun

Any of a group of genes that control a single continuous character (eg height)

polygenˈesis noun

Multiple origin, esp of mankind

polygenetˈic adjective

1. Of polygenesis
2. Springing from several sources
3. (of dyes) giving different colours with different mordants

polygenˈic adjective

1. Polygenetic
2. Forming more than one compound with a univalent element

polygˈenism noun

Belief in multiple origin, esp of mankind

polygˈenist noun

polygˈenous adjective

Of multiple origin or composition

polygˈeny noun

Polygenesis

polˈyglot, also polˈyglott adjective

1. (Gr polyglōttos, from glōtta tongue) able to speak many languages, multilingual
2. Using or written in many languages

noun

1. A person who speaks many languages
2. A book written in many languages
3. A collection of versions in different languages of the same work, esp a Bible

polyglottˈal, polyglottˈic, polyglottˈous adjective

polˈygon /-gon or -gən/ noun

1. (Gr polygōnon, from gōniā angle) a plane figure bounded by straight lines, esp more than four
2. An object in the form of a polygon, esp in the building of earthworks and fortifications

polygonāˈceous adjective

polygˈonal adjective

(polygonal numbers figurate numbers)

polygˈonally adverb

polygonˈatum noun

(Gr polygonaton, from gony, -atos knee) the Solomon's seal genus Polygonatum, of the lily family

polygˈonum noun

(Gr polygonon) any plant of the knot-grass genus Polygonum, with swollen joints and sheathing stipules, of the dock family Polygonāˈceae

polygˈony noun (Spenser)

The plant bistort

polˈygraph noun

1. An instrument which measures very small changes in body temperature, pulse rate, respiration, etc, and which is often used as a lie-detector
2. A copying, multiplying, or tracing apparatus
3. A copy

polygraphˈic adjective

polygraphy /po-ligˈrə-fi/ noun

1. Voluminous writing
2. The use of the polygraph as a lie-detector

Polygynia /-jinˈ/ plural noun

(Gr gynē woman, female) in various Linnaean classes of plants, an order with more than twelve styles

polygynˈian adjective

Of the Polygynia

polygynous /-lijˈ or -ligˈi-nəs/ adjective

1. Having several wives
2. Mating with several females
3. Having several styles
4. Polygynian

polygyny /-lijˈ or -ligˈ/ noun

1. The custom, practice, or condition of having a plurality of wives or styles
2. The habit of mating with more than one female

polyhalite /-halˈīt/ noun

(Gr hals salt) a triclinic mineral, sulphate of magnesium, potassium, and calcium

polyhedˈral adjective

polyhedric /-hēdˈ or -hedˈ/ adjective

polyhēdˈron (or /-hedˈ/) noun (pl polyhedˈrons or polyhedˈra)

(Gr hedrā seat) a solid figure or body bounded by plane faces (esp more than six)

polyhisˈtor noun

(Gr polyistōr, from historeein to inquire, learn) a person of great and varied learning

polyhistorian /-tōˈri-ən or -töˈ/ noun

polyhistoric /-torˈik/ adjective

polyhisˈtory /-tə-ri/ noun

polyhyˈbrid noun

A cross between parents differing in several heritable characters

polyhyˈdric adjective

Having several hydroxyl groups, polyhydroxy

polyhydroxˈy adjective (chem)

(of a compound) containing two or more hydroxyl groups per molecule

polyhydroxybuˈtyrate noun

A natural polymer which can be used to manufacture fully biodegradable plastic (abbrev PHB)

Polyhymnia /pol-i-himˈni-ə/ or Polymnia /pol-imˈni-ə/ noun

(Gr hymnos hymn, ode) the muse of the sublime lyric

polyimˈide noun

A polymer containing imide groups, used in heat-resistant materials

polyīˈsoprene noun

A rubber-like polymer of isoprene

polylemmˈa noun (Gr lēmma an assumption; logic)

A form of argument in which the maintainer of a certain proposition is committed to accept one of several propositions all of which contradict his or her original contention

polymasˈtia, polymastˈism or polˈymasty noun

(Gr mastos breast) the presence of supernumerary breasts or nipples

polymasˈtic adjective

polˈymath noun

(Gr polymathēs, from the root of manthanein to learn) a person whose knowledge covers a wide variety of subjects

polymathˈic adjective

polymˈathy noun

Much and varied learning

polˈymer noun (Gr meros part; chem)

Any naturally occurring or synthetic substance built up from a series of smaller units (monomers), which may be simple or complex, esp one of those of higher molecular weight as produced by polymerization

polymerase /pol-imˈə-rās/ noun

Any of several enzymes present in cell nuclei that promote the polymerization of DNA or RNA (polymerase chain reaction a powerful technique for amplifying DNA sequences without using genetic manipulation methods which need biological vectors (abbrev PCR))

polymeric /-merˈik/ adjective

Of, in a relation of, or manifesting polymerism

polymˈeride noun

A polymer

polymˈerism noun

polymerīzāˈtion or polymerīsāˈtion noun

polymˈerize or polymˈerise transitive verb

1. To combine to form a more complex molecule having the same empirical formula as the simpler ones combined
2. To cause to form a polymer
3. To make polymerous

intransitive verb

To change into a polymer

polymˈerous adjective

1. Having many parts
2. Having many parts in a whorl (botany)

polymˈery noun

The condition of being polymerous

Polymnia noun see Polyhymnia above

polymethyl methacrylate noun

The chemical name for any rigid glassy thermoplastic, such as Perspex, Lucite, etc

polˈymorph noun

1. (Gr polymorphos many-formed, from morphē form) any one of several forms in which the same thing may occur
2. An organism occurring in several forms
3. A substance crystallizing in several systems

polymorphˈic adjective

polymorphˈism noun

polymorphonūˈclear adjective

(of a leucocyte) having a nucleus divided into lobes and cytoplasm containing granules

polymorphˈous adjective

polymyositis /-mī-ō-sīˈtis/ noun

(see myo-) inflammation of several muscles at the same time

polymyxˈin noun

An antibiotic derived from soil bacteria

Polynēˈsian adjective

(Gr nēsos an island) of Polynesia, one of the three groups into which the Pacific islands are divided, its prevailing race of light-brown-skinned people, or their languages (a division of the Austronesian)

noun

A native or inhabitant of Polynesia

polyneuritis /-nūr-īˈtis/ noun

Simultaneous inflammation of several nerves

polynōˈmial adjective and noun (mathematics)

(an expression) consisting of a sum of terms each of which contains a constant and one or more variables raised to a power

polynōˈmialism noun

polynucleotide /pol-i-nūˈkli-ə-tīd/ noun

A nucleic acid that is made up of a number of nucleotides

polyōˈma noun

A small DNA virus which causes tumours in mice

polyomino /pol-i-omˈin-ō/ noun (pl polyomˈinos)

(on the false analogy of domino) a flat, many-sided shape made up of a number of identical squares placed edge to edge

polyonym /polˈi-ō-nim/ noun

(Gr onyma name) a name consisting of several words

polyonymˈic adjective

(of a name) of more than two words

polyonˈymous adjective

Having many names

polyonˈymy noun

Multiplicity of names for the same thing

polypepˈtide noun

A peptide in which many amino acids are linked to form a chain

polypetˈalous adjective

With free petals

polyphagia /-fāˈji-ə/ noun

1. (Gr phagein to eat) bulimia
2. The habit in animals, esp certain insects, of eating many different kinds of food

polyphagous /po-lifˈə-gəs/ adjective

1. (of an animal) eating many different kinds of food
2. Given to eating excessive amounts of food, esp as the result of a pathological condition

polyphˈagy /-ji/ noun

The character of being polyphagous

polypharˈmacy noun

The (esp indiscriminate and excessive) use of many different drugs in treating a disease

polˈyphase adjective

Having several alternating electric currents of equal frequency with uniformly spaced phase differences

polyphasic /-fāzˈik/ adjective

Going through several phases of activity followed by rest in any twenty-four hours

Polyphēˈmian or Polyphēˈmic adjective

Polyphēˈmus noun (Gr myth)

The Cyclops blinded by Odysseus

polyphēˈnol noun

A compound with two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups

polyphiloprogenitive /pol-i-fil-ō-prō-jenˈi-tiv/ adjective

(of imagination or inventiveness) very fertile

polyphloisbic /pol-i-floisˈbik/, poluphloisboiotic /pol-oo-flois-boi-otˈik/ or polyphloesboean /pol-i-flēs-bēˈən/ adjective

(Gr polyphloisbos, from phloisbos din; the oi and oe from the genitive ending in Homer's phrase polyphloisboio thalassēs of the much-roaring sea) loud-roaring (also used by Thackeray in the quasi-superlative form poluphloisboiotatotˈic)

polˈyphon /-fon/ or polˈyphone /-fōn/ noun

1. (Gr phōnē a voice) a lute-like musical instrument
2. A musical box playing tunes from perforated metal discs
3. (polˈyphone) a letter or symbol having more than one phonetic value, able to be pronounced or sounded in more than one way (phonetics)

polyphonic /-fonˈik/ adjective

1. Many-voiced
2. Of polyphones
3. Of polyphony

polˈyphonist noun

A contrapuntist

polyphˈony noun

1. Composition of music in parts each with an independent melody of its own
2. The use of polyphones (phonetics)

polyphyletic /-fi-letˈik or -fī-/ adjective

1. (Gr phyletikos relating to a tribesman, from phylē a tribe) of multiple origin
2. Descended by convergent lines from several ancestral groups

polyphyllous /-filˈəs/ adjective (Gr phyllon leaf; botany)

Having the perianth leaves free

polyphȳˈodont adjective

Having more than two successive dentitions

pol'ypill noun

A pill containing several different types of medication

Polyplacophˈora plural noun

(Gr plax, plakos a plate, slab) an order of molluscs, incl eg the chitons, bilaterally symmetrical, with a shell composed of eight transverse dorsal plates

polˈyploid adjective

(on the analogy of haploid and diploid) having more than twice the normal haploid number of chromosomes (also noun)

polˈyploidy noun

The polyploid condition

polˈypod noun

1. An animal with many feet
2. A polypody

Polypodium /-pōˈdi-əm/ noun

(Gr podion, dimin of pous a foot) the typical genus of Polypodiāˈceae, the family with stalked sporangia and vertical annulus to which most ferns belong, so named from the many-footed appearance of the rhizome

polˈypody noun

Any fern of the genus Polypodium, esp P. vulgare

Polyporus /po-lipˈə-rəs/ noun

(Gr poros a pore) a large genus of pore fungi (qv under pore¹), often forming hoof-like and bracket-like growths on trees

polypropˈylene noun

A polymer of propylene, similar in properties to polythene

polyprōˈtodont noun

(Gr prōtos first, and odous, odontos tooth) any member of the Polyprotodontˈia, the suborder of marsupials, including opossums, dasyures, etc, with many small incisors

Polypˈterus noun

(Gr pteron a fin) an African genus of Crossopterygian river fishes, with the dorsal fin represented by detached rays

polyptych /polˈip-tik/ noun

(Gr ptychos a fold) a picture, altarpiece, etc, consisting of four or more panels hinged or folding together

polˈyrhythm noun

The simultaneous combination of different rhythms in a piece of music

polyrhythˈmic adjective

polysaccharide /-sakˈə-rīd/ noun

A carbohydrate of a class including starch, etc, that hydrolyzes into more than one simple sugar

polyseˈmant /-sēˈ/ or polˈyseme /-sēm/ noun (linguistics)

A word with more than one meaning

polyˈsemous adjective (linguistics)

polˈysemy noun (linguistics)

polysepˈalous adjective (botany)

Having the sepals separate from each other

polysiloxˈane noun

Any of a number of polymers which are the basis of silicone chemistry

polˈysome noun

A group of ribosomes linked by a molecule of ribonucleic acid and functioning as a unit in the synthesis of proteins

polˈysomy noun

A condition in which one or more extra chromosomes, esp sex chromosomes, are present in the cells of the body

Polysˈtichum /-kəm/ noun

(Gr stichos a row) a genus of shield-ferns also known by the name Aspidium

polystyˈlar or polˈystyle adjective

(Gr stȳlos column) having many columns

polystyˈrene noun

A polymer of styrene resistant to moisture and to chemicals, with many commercial and industrial applications

polysulphˈide noun

A sulphide whose molecules contain two or more sulphur atoms

polysyllabˈic or polysyllabˈical adjective

polysyllabˈically adverb

polysyllabˈicism or polysyllˈabism noun

polysyllˈable noun

A word of many, or of more than three, syllables

polysyllˈogism noun

A series of syllogisms, the conclusion of one serving as the premiss for the next

polysyndeton /-sinˈdi-tən/ noun (Gr syndeton a conjunction; rhetoric)

Figurative repetition of connectives or conjunctions

polysynˈthesis noun

polysynthetˈic or polysynthetˈical adjective

1. Made up of many separate elements
2. Built up of a number of small crystals in parallel growth (crystallography)
3. Combining many simple words of a sentence in one, as in the native languages of America (also called incorporating; philology)

polysynthetˈically adverb

polysynthetˈicism /-i-sizm/ or polysynˈthetism noun

The character of being polysynthetic

polytechnic /-tekˈnik/ adjective

(Gr technikos, from technē art) of many arts or technical subjects

noun

A college where such subjects were taught up to and including degree level, traditionally offering a wide variety of vocational courses on a full- or part-time basis (all now upgraded to university status)

polytechˈnical adjective

polˈytene /-tēn/ adjective

(L taenia band) (of abnormally large chromosomes) composed of many reduplicated strands, found in the fly genus Drosophila

polytetrafluorethˈylene or polytetrafluoroethˈylene noun

An inert plastic with non-adhesive surface properties

polythalˈamous adjective

(Gr thalamos a chamber) having several cells or chambers

polˈytheism /-thē-izm/ noun

(Gr theos a god) the doctrine of a plurality of gods

polˈytheist noun

polytheistˈic or polytheistˈical adjective

polytheistˈically adverb

polˈythene or polyethylene noun

A generic name for certain thermoplastics, polymers of ethylene, manufactured in a range of qualities from light and rigid to thin and flexible, and used to make a variety of products incl domestic utensils, storage bags, carrier bags, etc

polytocous /pol-itˈə-kəs/ adjective

(Gr tokos birth) producing many or several at a birth or in a clutch

polytoˈnal adjective

polytonalˈity noun

Use at the same time of two or more musical keys

Pol'ytrack® noun

An artificial surface for horse-racing

Polytrichum /po-litˈri-kəm/ noun

(Gr thrix, trichos hair) a genus of tall hairy-capped mosses

polˈytunnel noun

Plastic sheeting stretched over rows of plants as protection from weather, etc

polytypic /-tipˈik/ adjective

Having many types and representatives

polyunsat'urate noun

A polyunsaturated fat or oil

polyunsatˈurated adjective (chem)

Containing more than one carbon-carbon double bond in the molecule (polyunsaturated fats or oils glycerides of polyunsaturated fatty acids, less likely to increase blood cholesterol)

polyurethane /-ūˈrə-thān/ noun

Any of a range of resins, both thermoplastic and thermosetting, used in the production of foamed materials, coatings, etc

polyuria /-ūˈri-ə/ noun (medicine)

Excessive secretion of urine

polyvalent /po-li-vāˈlənt or pol-ivˈə-lənt/ adjective

Multivalent

polyvīˈnyl noun

A vinyl polymer (polyvinyl acetate a colourless resin used in paints, adhesives, and as a coating for porous surfaces; polyvinyl chloride a vinyl plastic used as a rubber substitute for coating electric wires, cables, etc, and as a dress and furnishing fabric (abbrev PVC))

adjective

Of, consisting of, containing or made of polyvinyl

polˈywater noun

A supposed form of water, said to be a polymer, with properties different from those of ordinary water

Polyzōˈa plural noun (sing polyzoˈon)

(Gr zōion an animal) a phylum of aquatic animals, almost all colonial, with a cup-shaped body, U-shaped food-canal, and a wreath of tentacles about the mouth

polyzoˈan noun and adjective

polyzoarial /-āˈri-əl/ adjective

polyzoāˈrium or polyzōˈary noun

A polyzoan colony, or its supporting skeleton

polyzōˈic adjective

1. Having many zooids
2. Relating to the Polyzoa

polyzoˈnal adjective

(Gr zōnē belt) composed of many zones or belts

polyzōˈoid adjective

Like or of the nature of a polyzoon