polygamy

noun

po·​lyg·​a·​my pə-ˈli-gə-mē How to pronounce polygamy (audio)
1
: marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time compare polyandry, polygyny
2
: the state of being polygamous
polygamist noun
polygamize intransitive verb

Examples of polygamy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Hulu 38 of 80 Big Love, Season 3 As with any of the five seasons of HBO's polygamy drama, so much happens in season 3. Ew Staff, EW.com, 8 Jan. 2024 As early as the 1850s, people worried that the city had a reputation because of the presence of settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, who believed in polygamy. Dana Jacobson, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2024 Alma founded his own Mormon colony in Mexico that encouraged polygamy. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 9 Jan. 2024 Mykelti and Ysabel weren't the only children who have had second thoughts about polygamy. Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 15 Jan. 2024 So eternal polygamy, which the faith has not deep-sixed, will, according to church doctrine, stand firm in the celestial realm. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Sep. 2023 Why bring this up now, more than a century after the church did away with polygamy, not only ending it but also booting out any members who practiced it? Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 Sep. 2023 In the early 2000s, Latter-day Saints were learning via social media about controversial elements of their faith’s past — including details about polygamy provided by the scholars, like Quinn, who were reproved by the church. Peggy Fletcher Stack, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Sep. 2023 The once-commonplace practice of polygamy, which was officially renounced in 1890, has garnered plenty of criticism. Michal Lev-Ram, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polygamy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin polygamia "frequent marriage," borrowed from Greek polygamía, from polýgamos "married several times, polygamous" + -ia -y entry 2

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of polygamy was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near polygamy

Cite this Entry

“Polygamy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygamy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

polygamy

noun
po·​lyg·​a·​my -mē How to pronounce polygamy (audio)
plural polygamies
: marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time compare polyandry, polygyny

Legal Definition

polygamy

noun
po·​lyg·​a·​my pə-ˈli-gə-mē How to pronounce polygamy (audio)
: the offense of having several and specifically more than two spouses at one time compare bigamy
polygamous adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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