What does the prefix poly- mean?
Poly- comes from the Greek polys, which means "many" or "multiple". It shows plurality or multiplicity. It is the sibling prefix of multi-, which means the same but comes from Latin.
ESEN
Prefix · many / multiple
poly-
Signals many or multiple: polygon, polyglot, polymer, polymath, polyphony.
Scientific
Written by Bryan López, English teacher · Updated
Poly- in science and society
In chemistry, poly- names molecules made of many repeated units, like plastics and many clothing fibers. In linguistics, it describes words with many meanings or music with several voices at once. And in a social context, it appears in words that talk about multiple partners or people who know about many areas. In every case, the idea is the same: many.
How it is used
Attaches to nouns and adjectives:
- poly- + number/shapegon → polygonhedron → polyhedronsyllabic → polysyllabicchromatic → polychromatic
- poly- + person/substanceglot → polyglotmath → polymathmer → polymerester → polyestergamy → polygamy
Pronunciation: /ˈpɒli/. Only the spelling of the prefix differs; the meaning is the same.
How it is pronounced
poly-/ˈpɒli/
Tap the button to hear how the prefix sounds. Each word in the table has its own audio.
Examples
Root word
With poly-
In a phrase
- gonpolygonA hexagon is a polygon with six sides, like a honeycomb cell.
- glotpolyglotThe diplomat was a polyglot who spoke five languages fluently.
- merpolymerMost plastics are synthetic polymers made from repeating molecular units.
- mathpolymathDa Vinci is the classic example of a polymath: artist, scientist, and engineer.
- esterpolyesterPolyester became popular in the 1970s for being cheap and durable.
- gamypolygamyPolygamy is practised in some cultures but illegal in most countries.
- phonypolyphonyRenaissance music is known for its rich polyphony of independent vocal lines.
Common mistakes
polygon = only regular polygons (equal sides)
polygon = any closed flat shape with three or more straight sides, regular or irregular
A polygon can be regular (all sides and angles equal, like a regular hexagon) or irregular (varying sides and angles). A scalene triangle is a polygon. The term only requires a closed flat shape with straight line segments.
polymer = only synthetic plastics
polymer = any molecule made of repeating chain units, including DNA, proteins, silk, and wool
"Polymer" covers far more than plastic. DNA is a polymer of nucleotides; proteins are polymers of amino acids; silk and wool are natural polymers. Plastics (polyethylene, nylon, PVC) are just the most visible category of synthetic polymers.
A trick to remember it
Think of a polygon with many sides: poly- = many. polyglot, polygon.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Form the word
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
"A ___ is someone who speaks several languages with a high degree of proficiency and fluency."
Exercise 3 · Pick the right one
Which of the following is a NATURAL polymer rather than a synthetic one?
Frequently asked questions
What does the prefix poly- mean in English?
The prefix poly- signals many or multiple: polygon, polyglot, polymer, polymath, polyphony.
How do you pronounce poly-?
The prefix poly- is pronounced /ˈpɒli/. For example, "polygon".
Can you give an example of a word with poly-?
"gon" becomes "polygon". It is a typical example of the poly- prefix.
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