polygamous

adjective

po·​lyg·​a·​mous pə-ˈli-gə-məs How to pronounce polygamous (audio)
1
a
: relating to or practicing polygamy
b
: having more than one mate at one time
baboons are polygamous
2
: bearing both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant

Examples of polygamous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nonprofits have long struggled to provide services in Short Creek, where polygamous families are taught to be wary of outsiders. Erin Alberty, Axios, 10 Dec. 2024 The Brown family patriarch was also previously married to Christine Brown and Janelle Brown through a polygamous arrangement. Dory Jackson, People.com, 25 Nov. 2024 There, large polygamous families are crowded into single houses, and people say the parched land is not suitable for grazing their herds. Kizito Makoye, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Oct. 2024 Raised by a single mother in Lagos, Nigeria, who had 44+ siblings (Williams-Olley’s grandfather was polygamous), she was always surrounded by a lot of love–and a lot of cousins. Jack McCullough, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for polygamous 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin & Greek; Medieval Latin polygamus, borrowed from Greek polýgamos "married several times," from poly- poly- + -gamos -gamous

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of polygamous was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near polygamous

Cite this Entry

“Polygamous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygamous. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

polygamous

adjective
po·​lyg·​a·​mous pə-ˈlig-ə-məs How to pronounce polygamous (audio)
1
: of or relating to marriage in which a spouse has more than one mate at one time
2
: having more than one mate at one time
polygamist
-məst
noun
polygamy
-mē
noun

Medical Definition

polygamous

adjective
po·​lyg·​a·​mous pə-ˈlig-ə-məs How to pronounce polygamous (audio)
1
: relating to or practicing polygamy
2
: having more than one mate at one time

More from Merriam-Webster on polygamous

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