Polynymy

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative form of polyonymy. alt-of, alternative, uncountable

    "Synchronically, we are dealing here with the simultaneous multilingual interplay of polynymy (involving several similar forms) and polysemy (involving several connected meanings)."

  2. 2
    The use of names that are polynyms. uncountable

    "Such, at least, is the opinion of Dr. A. D. Macdonald (Medical Press and Circular), and he is certainly to be congratulated for giving us so rhythmical an addition to polynymy, as well as in attaching an actual anatomical disorder to a purely physiological centre."

Example

More examples

"Synchronically, we are dealing here with the simultaneous multilingual interplay of polynymy (involving several similar forms) and polysemy (involving several connected meanings)."

Etymology

From poly- + -nymy.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.