polygyny
noun
po·lyg·y·ny
pə-ˈli-jə-nē 
Examples of polygyny in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The transatlantic trade in enslaved people, which produced a dearth of men in West Africa, helps explain the comparatively high prevalence of polygyny there now.
—
Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2024
His son has been married four times and resurrected the long-dead institution of polygyny.
—Tamara Loos, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2020
What does the contemporary West African practice of polygyny—one man, many wives—have to do with the trans-Atlantic slave trade?
—Tunku Varadarajan, wsj.com, 20 Apr. 2023
That is, some researchers have assumed that the prevalence of patrilocality and polygyny in relation to matrilocality and polyandry, combined with the structural fact that the X is disproportionately carried in females, can explain the differences in patterns of genetic variation.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2010
Phylogenetic reconstructions suggest that marriages in early ancestral human societies probably had low levels of polygyny (low reproductive skew) and reciprocal exchanges between the families of marital partners (i.e., brideservice or brideprice).
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2011
In most mammals for polygyny this would mean that the X chromosome would be more diverse than the autosome, because the autosome is equally impacted by male and female demographics, while the X chromosome has a lesser impact from males.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2012
Naturally the Islamists wish to legalize polygyny in Tunisia.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2012
Some have argued that this period of ubiquitous common law polygyny has influenced the fact that illegitimate births have traditionally been very common in Latin America.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 10 June 2013
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.
Stephanie H. Murray, The Atlantic, 26 Sep. 2024
His son has been married four times and resurrected the long-dead institution of polygyny.
—Tamara Loos, Foreign Affairs, 7 Dec. 2020
What does the contemporary West African practice of polygyny—one man, many wives—have to do with the trans-Atlantic slave trade?
—Tunku Varadarajan, wsj.com, 20 Apr. 2023
That is, some researchers have assumed that the prevalence of patrilocality and polygyny in relation to matrilocality and polyandry, combined with the structural fact that the X is disproportionately carried in females, can explain the differences in patterns of genetic variation.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2010
Phylogenetic reconstructions suggest that marriages in early ancestral human societies probably had low levels of polygyny (low reproductive skew) and reciprocal exchanges between the families of marital partners (i.e., brideservice or brideprice).
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 29 Apr. 2011
In most mammals for polygyny this would mean that the X chromosome would be more diverse than the autosome, because the autosome is equally impacted by male and female demographics, while the X chromosome has a lesser impact from males.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2012
Naturally the Islamists wish to legalize polygyny in Tunisia.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 1 Feb. 2012
Some have argued that this period of ubiquitous common law polygyny has influenced the fact that illegitimate births have traditionally been very common in Latin America.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 10 June 2013
Dictionary Entries Near polygyny
Cite this Entry
“Polygyny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygyny. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share