polygamous

adjective

po·​lyg·​a·​mous pə-ˈli-gə-məs 

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

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

Kody Brown is adjusting a new normal following the end of his polygamous arrangement with Meri Brown, Christine Brown and Janelle Brown. —Stephanie Wenger, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024

Yes, but: Critics say Latter-day Saints in the media are inaccurately portrayed as polygamous, religious extremists or upstanding citizens. —Kim Bojórquez, Axios, 6 Aug. 2024

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

Kids Definition

polygamous

adjective

po·​lyg·​a·​mous pə-ˈlig-ə-məs 

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 

1

: relating to or practicing polygamy

2

: having more than one mate at one time