-andry

American  

1. a combining form occurring in nouns corresponding to adjectives ending in -androus:

   polyandry.

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-andry British  

combining form

1. indicating number of husbands

   polyandry

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Usage

What does -andry mean? The combining form -andry is used like a suffix to indicate the noun form of adjectives ending in -androus, meaning “male.” It is very occasionally used in scientific terms, especially in botany. In terms from botany, -andry is used to specifically indicate the state of having a number or type of stamens, the pollen-bearing organ of a flower. In some terms, such as polyandry, the form is used to indicate practices around having a husband. The form -andry comes from Greek -andría, essentially meaning “male.” This suffix, in turn, derives from Greek anḗr, “man.”What are variants of -andry?While -andry doesn’t have any variants, it is related to other combining forms: andro-, andr-, and -androus. Want to know more? Check out our Words that Use articles for each form.

Etymology

Origin of -andry

< Greek -andria. See andr-, -y ³