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Webster 1913 Edition

Polygyny

Po-lyg′y-ny

,
Noun.
[
Poly-
+ Gr. [GREEK] woman, wife.]
The state or practice of having several wives at the same time; marriage to several wives.
H. Spenser.

Webster 1828 Edition

Polygyny

POLYG'YNY

,
Noun.
[Gr. many, and a female.]
The practice of having more wives than one at the same time.

Definition 2024

polygyny

polygyny

English

Noun

polygyny ‎(plural polygynies)

  1. The state or practice of having several wives at the same time; plurality of wives; marriage to several wives.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Herbert Spencer to this entry?)
  2. The condition of an ant colony that has multiple egg-laying queens.

Derived terms

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Translations

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πολύ ‎(polú, “many”) + γυνή ‎(gunḗ, “woman, wife”); synchronically, poly- +‎ -gyny.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pəˈlɪdʒɪnɪ/

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