polytomy

[puh-lit-uh-mee]

noun, plural po·lyt·o·mies.

the act or process of dividing into more than three parts.
the state or condition of being so divided.

Origin of polytomy

First recorded in 1860–65; poly- + -tomy

Related formspo·lyt·o·mous, adjective

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