Definition of polygamy Polygamy

/pʌlɪˈgʌmi/ - [puligumee] - po•lyg•a•my

We found 13 definitions of polygamy from 8 different sources.

What does polygamy mean?

Noun Plural: polygamies
polygamy - having more than one spouse at a time
		spousal relationship, wedlock, matrimony, marriage, union the ceremony or sacrament of marriage
		polyandry having more than one husband at a time

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polygamy (Noun)
The having of multiple socially bonded sexual partners at the same time.
polygamy (Noun)
Commonly used specifically for polygyny, the marriage of a man to more than one wife, or the practice of having several wives, at the same time.
polygamy (Noun)
The state or habit of having more than one sexual mate.
polygamy (Noun)
The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers.

polygamy (n.)
The having of a plurality of wives or husbands at the same time; usually, the marriage of a man to more than one woman, or the practice of having several wives, at the same time; -- opposed to monogamy; as, the nations of the East practiced polygamy. See the Note under Bigamy, and cf. Polyandry.
polygamy (n.)
The state or habit of having more than one mate.
polygamy (n.)
The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers.

polygamy
A form of marriage in which a person has several spouse at the same time.

polygamy
pō-lig′a-mi, n. the practice of having more than one wife at the same time.—n.pl. Polygā′mia, the 23d class in the Linnæan system, embracing plants in which the stamens and pistils are separate in some flowers and associated in others.—adj. Polygā′mian.—n. Polyg′amist.—adj. Polyg′amous, relating to polygamy: (bot.) a term applied to plants which bear both unisexual and hermaphrodite flowers, either on the same or on different individual plants. [Gr.,—polys, many, gamos, marriage.]

Polygamy is a word that comes from late Greek. It can be translated as "many marriages". It refers to any form of marriage, where there is "more than one spouse".

The form where one man has sexual relations with many women is called polygyny, the form where there are many men for one woman is called polyandry. There is also a concept called group marriage, which is a combination of ployandry and polygyny. In group marriage, all the (adult) members of the group are responsible for all the children.

Historically, all forms have occurred. Polygyny is the most common though.