polyglot

[pol-ee-glot]

adjective

1. able to speak or write several languages; multilingual.

2. containing, composed of, or written in several languages.

   a polyglot Bible.

noun

1. a mixture or confusion of languages.

2. a person who speaks, writes, or reads a number of languages.

3. a book, especially a Bible, containing the same text in several languages.

polyglot

/ ˈpɒlɪˌɡlɒt /

adjective

1. having a command of many languages

2. written in, composed of, or containing many languages

noun

1. a person with a command of many languages

2. a book, esp a Bible, containing several versions of the same text written in various languages

3. a mixture or confusion of languages

Other Word Forms

• polyglotism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyglot¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from Medieval Latin polyglōttus, from Greek polýglōttos “many-tongued”; poly-, -glot

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyglot¹

C17: from Greek poluglōttos literally: many-tongued, from _poly- + glōtta tongue

Example Sentences

Historians say the deprivation contributed to the growing ethnic tensions of the polyglot state, which led to the Bosnian War in the 1990s.

From Salon

That now extends to about 20 countries, including Ireland and Singapore and extending to polyglot Holland and Germany.

From BBC

In the brains of these polyglots -- people who speak five or more languages -- the same language regions light up when they listen to any of the languages that they speak.

From Science Daily

This “Shogun” sits in a polyglot comfort zone.

From New York Times

Its architecture was a polyglot of building styles — kind of like Beverly Hills — but here’s the best part: It was noir, through and through.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• linguist 
• wordsmith