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• poly
  poly

  noun

  polyester.
• poly-
  poly-

  a combining form with the meanings “much, many” and, in chemistry, “polymeric,” used in the formation of compound words.
• poly.
  poly.

  abbreviation

  polytechnic.
• poly–
  poly–

  A prefix meaning “many,” as in polygon, a figure having many sides. In chemistry, it is used to form the names of polymers by being attached to the name of the base unit of which the polymer is made, as in polysaccharide, a polymer made of repeating simple sugars (monosaccharides).

poly

¹ American  

[pol-ee] / ˈpɒl i /

noun

polies plural

1. Informal. polyester.

   a blend of poly and cotton.

2. a fabric or garment made of polyester.

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adjective

1. made of or containing polyester.

   a poly swimsuit.

poly ² American  

[pol-ee] / ˈpɒl i /

adjective

Informal.

1. noting or relating to polyamory; polyamorous.

   They’re in a poly relationship.

2. identifying as polyamorous.

   They’re not monogamous, they’re poly.

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poly- ³ American  

1. a combining form with the meanings “much, many” and, in chemistry, “polymeric,” used in the formation of compound words.

   polyandrous; polyculture; polyethylene.

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poly. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. polytechnic.

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poly ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒlɪ /

noun

1. informal short for polytechnic

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adjective

1. informal short for polyester

2. informal short for polythene

poly- ² British  

combining form

1. more than one; many or much

   polyhedron

2. having an excessive or abnormal number or amount

   polycythaemia

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poly– Scientific  

1. A prefix meaning “many,” as in polygon, a figure having many sides. In chemistry, it is used to form the names of polymers by being attached to the name of the base unit of which the polymer is made, as in polysaccharide, a polymer made of repeating simple sugars (monosaccharides).

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Usage

What does poly- mean? Poly- is a combining form with multiple meanings. In many terms, it is used like a prefix meaning “much, many.” In terms from chemistry, it denotes "polymeric," meaning "of or relating to a polymer." It is often used in a variety of scientific and technical terms, especially in biology. Poly- comes from Greek polýs, meaning “many.” The Latin equivalent of polýs is multus, also meaning both “much” and “many,” which is the source of the combining form multi-. To learn more, check out our Words That Use article about multi-.

Etymology

Origin of poly¹

By shortening

Origin of poly²

First recorded in 1990–95; shortening of polyamorous ( def. )

Origin of poly-³

< Greek, combining form representing polýs; akin to Old English fela many. See plus

Example Sentences

It would also almost certainly extend access to health benefits — a quirk of American marriage that experts said lies at the heart of the legal fight over poly partnerships.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

On the day, she served Christmas cocktails and jam roly poly, with '80s music playing and a quiz about the decade.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

I think the first person I'd ever met who was poly, I met in 2005, so it's not conceptually passing strange to me and not really foreign territory.

From Salon • Oct. 31, 2024

The biocompatible polymer used was poly 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, or PMPC, with chain lengths of 50, 100 or 200 monomers.

From Science Daily • Jan. 3, 2024

The Gabrielis also experimented with placing clusters of singers and instrumentalists in different pockets of the building, a technique known as antiphony, meaning ‘voices against each other’, or poly choral, ‘many choirs’.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall