Polyeidism
(Pol`y*ei"dism) n. (Zoöl.) The quality or state of being polyeidic.
Polyembryonate
(Pol`y*em"bry*o*nate) a. [Poly- + embryonate.] (Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several
embryos; polyembryonic.
Polyembryonic
(Pol`y*em`bry*on"ic) a. [Poly- + embryonic.] (Bot.) Polyembryonate.
Polyembryony
(Pol`y*em"bry*o*ny) n. [See Poly- , and Embryo.] (Bot.) The production of two or
more embryos in one seed, due either to the existence and fertilization of more than one embryonic sac
or to the origination of embryos outside of the embryonic sac.
Polyfoil
(Pol"y*foil) n. [Poly- + foil, n.] (Arch.) Same as Multifoil.
Polygala
(||Po*lyg"a*la) n. [L., milkwort, fr. Gr. poly`s much + milk.] A genus of bitter herbs or shrubs
having eight stamens and a two-celled ovary (as the Seneca snakeroot, the flowering wintergreen, etc.); milkwort.
Polygalaceous
(Pol`y*ga*la"ceous) a. Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Polygalaceæ) of which
Polygala is the type.
Polygalic
(Po*lyg"a*lic) a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, Polygala; specifically, designating
an acrid glucoside (called polygalic acid, senegin, etc.), resembling, or possibly identical with, saponin.
Polygamia
(||Pol`y*ga"mi*a) n. pl. [NL. See Polygamous.] (Bot.) (a) A Linnæan class of plants, characterized
by having both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant. (b) A name given by Linnæus to
file orders of plants having syngenesious flowers.
Polygamian
(Pol`y*ga"mi*an) a. (Bot.) Polygamous.
Polygamist
(Po*lyg"a*mist) n. [Cf. F. polygamiste, polygame, Gr. a.] One who practices polygamy,
or maintains its lawfulness.
Polygamize
(Po*lyg"a*mize) v. i. To practice polygamy; to marry several wives. Sylvester. Coleridge.
Polygamous
(Po*lyg"a*mous) a. [Gr. living polygamy; poly`s many + marriage. Cf. Bigamy.]
1. Of or pertaining to polygamy; characterized by, or involving, polygamy; having a plurality of wives; as,
polygamous marriages; — opposed to monogamous.
2. (Zoöl.) Pairing with more than one female.
Most deer, cattle, and sheep are polygamous.
Darwin. 3. (Bot.) Belonging to the Polygamia; bearing both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same
plant.
Polygamy
(Po*lyg"a*my) n. [Gr. cf. F. polygamie.]
1. The having of a plurality of wives or husbands at the same time; usually, the marriage of a man to
more than one woman, or the practice of having several wives, at the same time; — opposed to monogamy; as,
the nations of the East practiced polygamy. See the Note under Bigamy, and cf. Polyandry.
2. (Zoöl.) The state or habit of having more than one mate.
3. (Bot.) The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers.
Polygastrian
(Pol`y*gas"tri*an) n. (Zoöl.) One of the Polygastrica. [Obs.]
