polygyny

(pə lijə nē, pō-)

noun

  1. the state or practice of having two or more wives at the same time
  2. Bot. the fact of having many styles or pistils
  3. Zool. the mating of a male animal with more than one female

Origin: < ModL polygynia < poly- + Gr gynē, woman, wife: see gyno-

Related Forms:

See polygyny in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. The condition or practice of having more than one wife at one time.
  2. Zoology A mating pattern in which a male mates with more than one female in a single breeding season.

Related Forms:

  • po·lygˈy·nous adjective

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