Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pŏl'y-dĭp'si-ă, n. p. 1009(Med.) A constant desire for drinking, with a sense of dryness in the mouth and throat, occasioned by disease. Dunglison.Pŏl'y-ē'dron, n. p. 1009See POLYHEDRON.Pōl'y-ē'droŭs, a. p. 1009See POLYHEDRAL.Pōl'y-ēm'bry-ō-nate, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several embryos; poly-embryonic.Pōl'y-ĕm'bry-ŏn'ĭc, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several embryos. Dana.Pŏl'y-ĕm-brŷ'ō-ny, n. p. 1009(Bot.) The existence, or development, of two or more embryos in the same seed.Pōl'y-ēr'gŏs, n. p. 1009(Entom.) A genus of ants, of which one species (P. rufescens) is remarkable for making incursions into the territories of another species of ant (Formica fusca), and capturing the larvæ, to be reared…Pŏl'y-foil, n. p. 1009(Arch.) A leaf-shaped ornament of more than five divisions, made by foils or segments of circles: a multifoil. [See Illust. of Multifoil.]Pōl'y-gā'mi-ă, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A class of plants, in the Linnæan system, bearing hermaphrodite flowers, with male or female flowers, or both, not inclosed in the same common calyx, but scattered either on the same plant, or…Pōl'y-gā'mi-an, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Producing hermaphrodite flowers, with male or female flowers, or both.Po-lŷg'ă-mist, n. p. 1009A person who practices polygamy, or maintains its lawfulness.Po-lŷg'ă-mize, v. i. p. 1009To act as a polygamist; to marry several wives. [Rare.] Coleridge.Po-ly̆g'a-mŏus, a. p. 1009Of, or pertaining to, polygamy. 2. Inclined to polygamy; having a plurality of wives. 3. (Bot.) The same as POLYGAMIAN.Po-ly̆g'a-my, n. p. 1009A plurality of wives or husbands at the same time, or the having of such plurality; usually, the condition of a man having more than one wife. He lived, to his death, in the sin of polygamy, without…Pŏl'y-găr'eh'y, n. p. 1009Government by many rulers; polyarchy.Pŏl'y-găs'tri-an or Pŏl'y-găs'trie, n. p. 1009An animal having, or supposed to have, many stomachs.Pŏl'y-găs'trie, a. p. 1009Of, or relating to, the polygastrians; having many stomachs; as, polygastric animalcules. Bell.Pŏl'y-gĕ-nĕ'tic, a. p. 1009Having many distinct sources; originating in various places or times.Po-lŷg'e-noŭs, a. p. 1009Consisting of many kinds; as, a polygenous mountain, which is composed of strata of different species of stone. Kirwan.Pŏl'y-glŏt, a. p. 1009Containing, or pertaining to, several languages; many-languaged; as, a polyglot lexicon.Pōl'y-glōt, n. p. 1009A person acquainted with several languages. “A polyglot, or good linguist.” Howell. 2. A book containing several versions of the same text, or containing the same subject-matter in several languages…Pŏl'y-glŏt'tōŭs, a. p. 1009Speaking many languages. [Rare.] “The polyglottous tribes of America.” M. Müller.Pŏl'y-gŏn, n. p. 1009(Geom.) A plane figure of many angles, and consequently of many sides; especially, one whose perimeter consists of more than four sides. Polygon of forces (Mech.), a polygonal figure, the sides of…Po-lŷg'o-nal, a. p. 1009Having many angles.Polygonal numbers p. 1009a series of numbers in arithmetical progression;—so called because the number of points which they severally indicate may be arranged symmetrically in the form of some polygonal figure, as the…Pŏl'y-go-nôm'e-try, n. p. 1009The doctrine of polygons; an extension of some of the principles of trigonometry to the case of polygons. Math. Dict.Po-lŷg'o-noŏs, a. p. 1009Polygonal.Po-lyg'o-nūm, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A genus of plants embracing a large number of species, including the various kinds of buckwheat, bistort, knotgrass, &c.Po-lŷg'o-ny, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A plant of the genus Polygonium; knotweed;—so called from its numerous joints.Pŏl'y-grām, n. p. 1009A figure consisting of many lines. Barlow.Pŏl'y-grāph, n. p. 1009An instrument for multiplying copies of a writing with ease and expedition.Pŏl'y-grāph'ic or Pŏl'y-grāph'ic-al, a. p. 1009Pertaining to, or employed in, polygraphy; as, a polygraphic instrument. 2. Done with a polygraph; as, a polygraphic copy or writing.Po-ly̆g'ra-phy, n. p. 1009The art of writing in various ciphers, and of deciphering the same.Pŏl'y-gȳn, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A plant of the order Polygynia.Pŏl'y-gŷn'ĭ-ă, n. p. 1009(Bot.) An order of plants, in the Linnæan system, having many styles.Pōl'y-gyn'i-an or Po-lŷg'y-nous, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Having many styles; belonging to the order Polygynia.Po-ly̆g'y-ny, n. p. 1009The practice of having more wives than one at the same time. Forster.Po-lÿ'ha-līte, n. p. 1009(Min.) A mineral usually occurring in masses, of a fibrous structure, of a brick-red color, being tinged with iron, and consisting chiefly of the sulphate of lime, magnesia, and soda. Dana.Pŏl'y-hē'dral, a. p. 1009(Geom.) HarPōl'y-hĕd'rie-al p. 1009ing many sides, as a solid body. Polyhedral angle, an angle bounded by three or more plane angles having a common vertex. Math. Dict.Pŏl′y-hē′dron, n. p. 1009(Geom.) A body or solid contained by many sides or planes. 2. (Opt.) A polyscope, or multiplying glass.Pŏl'y-hē'drōŭs, a. p. 1009Polyhedral.Pŏl'y-hĭs'tor, n. p. 1009One versed in various learning. [Rare.] “An experienced poly-histor of infinite reading.” De Quincey.Pōl'y-hȳ'drīte, n. p. 1009An ore of iron; hisingerite.Pŏl'y-hŷm'ni-ā, n. p. 1009(Anc. Myth.) The muse of lyric poetry.Pō-lyl'o-gy, n. p. 1009A talking much; talkativeness; garrulity. [Obs.] Granger.Pō-lyl'o-quent, a. p. 1009Speaking much; talkative; loquacious. [Obs.]Pŏl'y-māth'ic, a. p. 1009Pertaining to polymathy; acquainted with many branches of learning.Po-lym'a-thist, n. p. 1009One versed in many sciences; one acquainted with many branches of learning. [Obs.]Po-lŷm'a-thy, n. p. 1009The knowledge of many arts and sciences; acquaintance with many branches of learning, or with various subjects. Johnson.Pŏl'y-mê'rie, a. p. 1009Relating to, or exhibiting, polymerism. Gregory.Po-lym'er-ism, n. p. 1009(Chem.) The principle according to which a diversity of compounds exists under a common formula; as, for example, the compounds that may exist under the general formula (C₂ H₂) nO₄ constitute an…Po-lym′er-ous, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Having many parts in each set. Gray. 2. (Chem.) Having the kind of relation called polymerism: characterized by polymerism.Pôl'y-mîg'nîte, n. p. 1009(Min.) A black, opaque mineral, having a brilliant, almost metallic luster, and containing titanic acid, zirconia, lime, yttria, oxides of iron, cerium, and manganese, and traces of potash, magnesia…Po-lŷm'nî-ä, n. p. 1009See POLYHYMNIA.Pŏl’yum-nīte, n. p. 1009(Min.) A stone marked with dendrites and black lines, and so disposed as to represent rivers, marshes, and ponds.Pŏl'y-mŏrph, n. p. 1009(Zoöl.) One of a numerous tribe or series of shells, which are very small, irregular, and singular in form, and which can not be referred to any known genus; — so called by Soldani.Pôl'y-môr'phic, a. p. 1009Of several different forms.Pŏl'y-môr'phĭsm, n. p. 1009(Crystallog.) The same as PLEOMORPHISM. 2. (Zoöl.) The capability of assuming different forms. 3. (Bot.) The capability of widely varying form.Pŏl'y-môr'phoŭs, a. p. 1009Having several different forms or characters; polymorphic. [Rare.] I find it difficult to form any judgment of an author so polymorphous as Herder. De Quincey.