# polygamy

> English word · Noun · IPA /pəˈlɪɡ.ə.mi/ · frequency rank #26,555

## Definitions
1. The condition of having more than one spouse or marriage partner at one time.
2. Synonym of polygyny (“marriage of a man to more than one wife, the practice of having several wives at the same time”).
3. The state or habit of having more than one sexual mate.
4. The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers.

## Etymology
Recorded since 1591, from Late Latin polygamia, from Ancient Greek πολυγαμία (polugamía), itself from πολύγαμος (polúgamos, “married to many”), from πολύς (polús, “many”) + γάμος (gámos, “marriage”). Relates to modern prefix and suffix poly- + -gamy.

## Common misspellings (13)
`oplygamy`, `ploygamy`, `polgyamy`, `pollygamy`, `polyagmy`, `polygammy`, `polygamyy`, `polygaym`, `polyggamy`, `polygmay`, `polyygamy`, `poylgamy`, `ppolygamy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/polygamy