noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:P AA2 L IY2 AE1 N D R IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A form of polygamy where a woman is married to two or more husbands simultaneously.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: monandry, monogyny, monogamy, polygyny
Broader terms: polygamy
2
noun
Meaning 2
The mating pattern whereby a female copulates with plural males.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Sexual relations with multiple males, by a female or a male, human or nonhuman, within or without marriage.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
The condition of having many stamens.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
having more than one husband at a time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: polygamy
History
Etymology
From poly- + -andry.
Across languages
Translations
43 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
تَعَدُّد اَلْأَزْوَاج
(taʕaddud al-ʔazwāj)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Azerbaijani:
çoxərlilik
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Belarusian:
многаму́ства
(mnohamústva)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Catalan:
poliàndria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Chinese Mandarin:
一妻多夫
(yīqīduōfū)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Chinese Mandarin:
一妻多夫制
(yīqīduōfūzhì)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Czech:
mnohomužství
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Dutch:
veelmannerij
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Dutch:
polyandrie
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Esperanto:
poliandrio
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Estonian:
polüandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Estonian:
mitmemehepidamine
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Finnish:
polyandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Finnish:
monimiehisyys
— plurality of husbands at the same time
French:
polyandrie
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Georgian:
მრავალქმრიანობა
(mravalkmrianoba)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Georgian:
პოლიანდრია
(ṗoliandria)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
German:
Polyandrie
— plurality of husbands at the same time
German:
Vielmännerei
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Greek:
πολύανδρος
(polýandros)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Hindi:
बहुपतित्व
(bahuptitva)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Ido:
poliandreso
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Ido:
poliandro
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Irish:
polandras
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Italian:
poliandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Japanese:
一妻多夫制
(issai-tafu)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Japanese:
ポリアンドリー
(poriandorī)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Lithuanian:
poliandrija
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Lithuanian:
daugvyrystė
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Macedonian:
многума́штво
(mnogumáštvo)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Macedonian:
полиандрија
(poliandrija)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Māori:
wahine moe tokomaha
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Persian:
چندشوهری
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Polish:
poliandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Portuguese:
poliandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Russian:
полиа́ндрия
(poliándrija)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Russian:
многому́жество
(mnogomúžestvo)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Serbo-Croatian:
mnogomuštvo
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Serbo-Croatian:
poliàndrija
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Spanish:
poliandria
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Swedish:
polyandri
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Ukrainian:
багатому́жжя
(bahatomúžžja)
— plurality of husbands at the same time
Welsh:
amlwriaeth
— plurality of husbands at the same time