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definitions

poly

1
[pol-ee]
noun, plural pol·ies.
  1. Informal. polyester(def 2): a blend of poly and cotton.
  2. a fabric or garment made of polyester.
adjective
  1. made of or containing polyester: a poly swimsuit.

Origin of poly

1
by shortening

poly

2
[pol-ee]
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.

Origin of poly

2
First recorded in 1990–95; shortening of polyamorous

poly-

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

Origin of poly-

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

poly.

  1. polytechnic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for poly

Contemporary Examples of poly

Historical Examples of poly

  • I think of a polyanthus, and I say, 'Who will first touch a poly?'

  • It had been as sound as a bell when he entered for the Poly.

    The Combined Maze

    May Sinclair

  • All he wanted, Booty had then declared, was a turn or two at the Poly.

    The Combined Maze

    May Sinclair

  • For some shy or unfathomable reason of his own he refused to become a Poly.

    The Combined Maze

    May Sinclair

  • And yearly the regiment of girls who could "do things" at the Poly.

    The Combined Maze

    May Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for poly

poly

noun plural polys
  1. informal short for polytechnic
adjective
  1. informal short for polyester
  2. informal short for polythene

poly-

combining form
  1. more than one; many or muchpolyhedron
  2. having an excessive or abnormal number or amountpolycythaemia

Word Origin for poly-

from Greek polus much, many; related to Old English fela many
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for poly

poly-

word-forming element meaning "many, much, multi-, one or more," from Greek poly-, combining form of polys "much" (plural polloi); cognate with Latin plus, from PIE root *pele- (1) "to fill," with derivatives referring to multitudinousness or abundance (cf. Sanskrit purvi "much," prayah "mostly;" Avestan perena-, Old Persian paru "much;" Greek plethos "people, multitude, great number," polys "much, plenty," ploutos "wealth;" Lithuanian pilus "full, abundant;" Old Church Slavonic plunu; Gothic filu "much," Old Norse fjöl-, Old English fela, feola "much, many;" Old English folgian; Old Irish lan, Welsh llawn "full;" Old Irish il, Welsh elu "much"); probably related to root *pele- (2) "to spread."

Properly used in compounds only with words of Greek origin. In chemical names, usually indicating a compound with a large number of atoms or molecules of the same kind (cf. polymer).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
poly in Medicine

poly-

pref.
  1. More than one; many; much:polyatomic.
  2. More than usual; excessive; abnormal:polydipsia.
  3. Polymer; polymeric:polyethylene.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
poly in Science

poly-

  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).
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.