po·lyg·a·my

[puh-lig-uh-mee]
noun
1.
the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time. Compare bigamy ( def 1 ), monogamy ( def 1 ).
2.
Zoology. the habit or system of mating with more than one individual, either simultaneously or successively.
Origin:
1585–95; < Greek polygamía. See poly-, -gamy

Can be confused: bigamy, polyandry, polygamy, polygyny.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To polygamy
Collins
World English Dictionary
polygamy (pəˈlɪɡəmɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—n
1.  polyandry Compare polygyny the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time
2.  a.  the condition of having male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers on the same plant
 b.  the condition of having these different types of flower on separate plants of the same species
3.  the practice in male animals of having more than one mate during one breeding season
 
[C16: via French from Greek polugamia from poly- + -gamy]
 
po'lygamist
 
—n
 
po'lygamous
 
—adj
 
po'lygamously
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Polygamy is always a great word to know.
So is fish. Does it mean:
phylum of radially symmetrical coelomate marine invertabrates
cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates with gills, often have fins and elongated body covered with scales
LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

polygamy
1591, from L.L. polygamia, from Late Gk. polygamia "polygamy," from polygamos "often married," from polys "many" + gamos "marriage" (see gamete). Not etymologically restricted to marriage of one man and multiple women (technically polygyny), but often used as if it were.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
polygamy [(puh-lig-uh-mee)]

The practice of having several wives or husbands at the same time. (Compare monogamy.)

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Although monogamy was the norm, marriage variants such as sororal polygamy and
  polyandry were present.
In another view, he said polygamy is permitted in Tanganyika but he felt one
  wife is enough for any one man to handle.
He suggested family patterns, including polygamy and absent fathers, were a
  factor.
In fact, with its extreme patriarchy and polygamy it resembles the ideals of
  some non-Western societies.
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriHome Advisor
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
About PRIVACY POLICY Terms API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Suggest a Word Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT