polygamy

[ puh-lig-uh-mee ]
/ pəˈlɪg ə mi /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR polygamy ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time. Compare bigamy(def 1), monogamy(def 1).
Zoology. the habit or system of mating with more than one individual, either simultaneously or successively.

Origin of polygamy

From the Greek word polygamía, dating back to 1585–95. See poly-, -gamy

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH polygamy

bigamy polyandry polygamy polygyny

Words nearby polygamy

polygalacturonase, polygamic, polygamist, polygamophile, polygamous, polygamy, polygene, polygenesis, polygenetic, polygenic, polygenic inheritance

Words related to polygamy

polygyny, bigamy, polyandry

Example sentences from the Web for polygamy

British Dictionary definitions for polygamy

polygamy
/ (pəˈlɪɡəmɪ) /

noun

the practice of having more than one wife or husband at the same time Compare polyandry, polygyny
  1. the condition of having male, female, and hermaphrodite flowers on the same plant
  2. the condition of having these different types of flower on separate plants of the same species
the practice in male animals of having more than one mate during one breeding season

Derived forms of polygamy

polygamist, noun polygamous, adjective polygamously, adverb

Word Origin for polygamy

C16: via French from Greek polugamia from poly- + -gamy

Cultural definitions for polygamy

polygamy
[ (puh-lig-uh-mee) ]

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