polyamory

American  

[pol-ee-am-er-ee] / ˌpɒl iˈæm ər i /

noun

1. the practice or condition of participating simultaneously in more than one serious romantic or sexual relationship with the knowledge and consent of all partners.

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Other Word Forms

• polyamorist noun
• polyamorous adjective

Etymology

Origin of polyamory

First recorded in 1990–95; poly- ( def. ) + Latin amor “love” ( amorous ( def. ) ) + -y ³ ( def. ); patterned after polygamy ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does polyamory compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• polygamy vs. polyamory
• monogamy vs. polyamory

Example Sentences

It was a “serendipitous” win for a constituency that had not quite consolidated, said Ann Tweedy, a professor at the University of South Dakota School of Law, who has studied polyamory from a legal perspective.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Per her author bio, Davis is now a force in the poly community, presenting workshops on polyamory and editing an online publication called “Polyamory Today.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

In her case, she believes her marriage has grown stronger for embracing polyamory because each partner has to work hard on sharing how they are feeling.

From BBC • May 26, 2024

Psychologist and couples' therapist Louise Styles said polyamory encouraged some healthy relationship behaviours.

From BBC • May 26, 2024

My read of these studies is this: The current media portrayals of polyamory capture only a fraction of the complex, widespread, and diverse social arrangements that exist beyond monogamy.

From Slate • May 5, 2024