英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

polyglot (adj.)[polyglot 词源字典]: 1650s, from Greek polyglottos "speaking many languages," literally "many-tongued," from polys "many" (see poly-) + glotta, Attic variant of glossa "language," literally "tongue" (see gloss (n.2)). As a noun from 1640s.[polyglot etymology, polyglot origin, 英语词源]
polygon (n.): 1570s, from Latin polygonum, from Greek polygonon, noun use of neuter of adjective polygonos "many-angled," from polys "many" (see poly-) + -gonos "angled," from gonia "angle" (see -gon). Related: Polygonal.
polygraph (n.): 1794, "mechanical device for making multiple copies of something written or drawn," from Greek polygraphos "writing much," from polys "much" (see poly-) + graphos "writing," from graphein "to write" (see -graphy).

Meaning "instrument for recording several pulsations of the body at the same time" is 1871; first used as a lie detector 1921. Related: Polygraphy (1590s); polygraphic (1771).
polygyny (n.): 1780, "condition of having many wives," from poly- "many" (see poly-) + Greek gyne "woman, wife" (see queen). Related: Polygynous.
polyhedral (adj.): 1741, from polyhedron + -al (1).
polyhedron (n.): 1560s, from Latinized form of Greek polyedron, neuter of adjective polyedros "having many bases or sides," from polys "many" (see poly-) + hedra "seat, base, chair, face of a geometric solid," from PIE root *sed- (1) "to sit" (see sedentary).
polyhistor (n.): "very learned person," 1580s, from Greek polyhistor "very learned," from poly "much, many" (see poly-) + histor "knowing, learned" (see history).
polymath (n.): 1620s, from Greek polymathes "having learned much, knowing much," from polys "much" (see poly-) + root of manthanein "to learn" (see mathematic).
polymer (n.): a substance built from a large number of simple molecules of the same kind, 1855, probably from German Polymere (Berzelius, 1830), from Greek polymeres "having many parts," from polys "many" (see poly-) + meros "part" (see merit (n.)).
polymerase (n.): 1866, coined by Berzelius (1830) from Greek polymeres "having many parts" (see polymer).
polymeric (adj.): 1829, from polymer + -ic.
polymerization (n.): 1866, from polymer + -ization.
polymerize (v.): 1851, from polymer + -ize. Related: Polymerized; polymerizing.
polymorph (n.): "organism of several forms," 1828, from Greek polymorphos "of many forms" (see polymorphous).
polymorphism (n.): 1839, from polymorph + -ism.
polymorphous (adj.): 1785, from Greek polymorphos "multiform, of many forms, manifold," from poly- "many" (see poly-) + morphe "shape, form" (see Morpheus). Related: Polymorphic; polymorphously; polymorphousness.
Polynesia (n.): 1758, Latinization of French polynésie, coined 1756 by French writer Charles de Brosses (1709-1777) in "Histoire des navigations aux terres australes, contenant ce que l'on sait des moeurs et des productions des contrées découvertes jusqu'à ce jour" (and first in English in a review of it), coined from Greek polys "many" (see poly-) + nesos "island" (see Chersonese). Related: Polynesian.
polynomial: 1670s (n.), 1704 (adj.), irregularly formed from poly- + stem of binomial.
polyp (n.): c. 1400, "nasal tumor," from Middle French polype and directly from Latin polypus "cuttlefish," also "nasal tumor," from Greek (Doric, Aeolic) polypos "octopus, cuttlefish," from polys "many" (see poly-) + pous "foot," from PIE root *ped- (1) "a foot" (see foot (n.)). Etymological sense revived 1742 as a name for hydras and sea anemones (earlier polypus, early 16c.). The Latin word is the source of French poulpe "octopus."
polypeptide (n.): peptide built from a large number of amino acids, 1903, from German polypeptid; see poly- + peptide.