poly- repr Gr. polu-, comb. form of polús, polú much, pl. polloi many (cf. FULL); in many techn. terms. polyanthus XVIII. modL. (Gr. ánthos flower). polychrome XIX. — F. — Gr. polúkhrōmos (khrôma colour). polygamous XVII practising polygamy XVI. — F. polygamie — ecclGr. polugamíā (gámos marriage). polyglot XVII. — F. polyglotte — Gr. polúglōttos (glôtta tongue). polygon XVI. — late L. polygōnum — Gr. polúgōnon (-GON).
So polygonal XVIII. polyhedron XVI. — Gr. polúedron (-HEDRON). polymath XVII. — Gr. polumathḗs (manthánein learn). polynomial XVII. after BINOMIAL. polysyllable XVI. f. medL. polysyllaba. polytechnic dealing with various arts. XIX. — F. polytechnique, f. Gr. polútekhnos. polytheism XVII. — F. polythéisme, f. Gr. polútheos.

poly- • comb. form many; much: polyandry polychrome. ∎  Chem. denoting the presence of many atoms or groups of a particular kind in a molecule: polycarbonate.

poly- combining form denoting
1. many; multiple.

2. excessive.

3. generalized; affecting many parts.

poly- From the Greek polus, meaning ‘many’, a prefix meaning ‘many’.

poly- From the Greek polus meaning ‘many’, a prefix meaning ‘many’.