polysynthetic

[ pol-ee-sin-thet-ik ]

/ ˌpɒl i sɪnˈθɛt ɪk /

adjective

(of a language) characterized by a prevalence of relatively long words containing a large number of affixes to express syntactic relationships and meanings. Many American Indian languages are polysynthetic.Compare analytic(def 3), synthetic(def 3).

of or relating to polysynthesism.

Nearby words

polysynaptic, polysyndactyly, polysyndeton, polysynthesis, polysynthesism, polysynthetic, polytechnic, polytendinitis, polytene, polytene chromosome, polytetrafluoroethylene

Sometimes pol·y·syn·thet·i·cal.

Origin of polysynthetic

1795–1805; < Late Greek polysýnthet(os) much compounded + -ic. See poly-, synthetic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for polysynthetic

Very different from all these is the spirit of a polysynthetic language.
The Myths of the New World|Daniel G. Brinton
This polysynthetic character undoubtedly does point to a common origin, just as the Indo-European tongues trace back to Sanskrit.
Through the Mackenzie Basin|Charles Mair
The Chippewa is, in its structure, what is denominated by Mr. Du Ponceau "polysynthetic."
Personal Memoirs Of A Residence Of Thirty Years With The Indian Tribes On The American Frontiers|Henry Rowe Schoolcraft
If we pass to an isolating language like Chinese, we find the exact converse of that which meets us in the polysynthetic tongues.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3|Various

On account of the frequent occurrence of such elements American languages have been classed as 'polysynthetic.'
The Myths of the North American Indians|Lewis Spence

British Dictionary definitions for polysynthetic

polysynthetic

/ (ˌpɒlɪsɪnˈθɛtɪk) /

adjective

denoting languages, such as Inuktitut, in which single words may express the meaning of whole phrases or clauses by virtue of multiple affixesCompare synthetic (def. 3), analytic (def. 3), agglutinative (def. 2)

Derived Formspolysynthesis (ˌpɒlɪˈsɪnθɪsɪs), nounpolysynthesism, nounpolysynthetically, adverb

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