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polygamy

Syllabification: (po·lyg·a·my)
Pronunciation: /pəˈligəmē/
Translate polygamy | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of polygamy

noun

  • 1the practice or custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time.
  • Zoology a pattern of mating in which an animal has more than one mate.
  • 2 Botany the condition of bearing some male, some female, and sometimes some perfect flowers on the same plant.

Derivatives

polygamist

Pronunciation: /-mist/
noun
polygamy (sense 1).

Origin:

late 16th century: from French polygamie, via late Latin from Greek polugamia, from polugamos 'often marrying'

polygamy in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of polygamy in the British & World English dictionary

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