poly
noun
Jump To:
-
poly
-
poly-
poly-a combining form with the meanings “much, many” and, in chemistry, “polymeric,” used in the formation of compound words.
-
poly.
poly.abbreviationpolytechnic.
-
poly–
poly–A prefix meaning “many,” as in polygon, a figure having many sides. In chemistry, it is used to form the names of polymers by being attached to the name of the base unit of which the polymer is made, as in polysaccharide, a polymer made of repeating simple sugars (monosaccharides).
poly
1 American
[pol-ee]
/ ˈpɒl i /
noun
polies
plural
-
Informal. polyester.
a blend of poly and cotton.
-
a fabric or garment made of polyester.
adjective
poly
2
American
[pol-ee]
/ ˈpɒl i /
adjective
Informal.
-
noting or relating to polyamory; polyamorous.
They’re in a poly relationship.
-
identifying as polyamorous.
They’re not monogamous, they’re poly.
poly-
3
American
poly.
4
American
abbreviation
poly
1
British
/ ˈpɒlɪ /
noun
poly-
2
British
combining form
-
more than one; many or much
polyhedron
-
having an excessive or abnormal number or amount
polycythaemia
poly–
Scientific
Usage
What does poly- mean? Poly- is a combining form with multiple meanings. In many terms, it is used like a prefix meaning “much, many.” In terms from chemistry, it denotes "polymeric," meaning "of or relating to a polymer." It is often used in a variety of scientific and technical terms, especially in biology. Poly- comes from Greek polýs, meaning “many.” The Latin equivalent of polýs is multus, also meaning both “much” and “many,” which is the source of the combining form multi-. To learn more, check out our Words That Use article about multi-.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of poly1
By shortening
Origin of poly2
First recorded in 1990–95; shortening of polyamorous ( def. )
Origin of poly-3
< Greek, combining form representing polýs; akin to Old English fela many. See plus
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
After life in New York, I returned to Los Angeles’ dating scene as a solo poly queer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
I think the first person I'd ever met who was poly, I met in 2005, so it's not conceptually passing strange to me and not really foreign territory.
From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2024
"She was not poly but she was very interested in the philosophy behind it," Laszlo said.
From BBC ● May 26, 2024
The biocompatible polymer used was poly 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, or PMPC, with chain lengths of 50, 100 or 200 monomers.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 3, 2024
The Gabrielis also experimented with placing clusters of singers and instrumentalists in different pockets of the building, a technique known as antiphony, meaning ‘voices against each other’, or poly choral, ‘many choirs’.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
PFAS, which stands for poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, are resistant to oil and water, making them highly valuable to the make-up industry.
From BBC ● Jan. 12, 2023
Thomas Isaac is an excellent example of this phenomena with his disavowing of religion in a country that is both poly- and monotheistic and where prayers and mantras are a way of life.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 31, 2017
Not that I dis- allow of second marriage; as neither in all cases of poly- gamy, which considering some times, and the unequal number of both sexes, may be also necessary.
From Religio Medici, Hydriotaphia, and the Letter to a Friend by Browne, Thomas, Sir
There were Santiago’s Lares, and if we use this word, it is because the master of the house was rather a poly- than a monotheist.
From An Eagle Flight A Filipino Novel Adapted from Noli Me Tangere by Rizal, José
The case could well be the first of its kind; it's surely the first to debate explicitly the worthiness of polies as parents.
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.