poly- +
(Greek: many, much; too many, too much, excessive; abnormal)
Don’t confuse this poly- with another -poly which means “to sell”.
polypathia
The occurrence, or presence, of several diseases at the same time.
polyped
Any creature that has many feet; many footed.
polypetalous
Literally, having many petals; but commonly used for having the petals distinct or separate, not coherent or united.
polyphage, polyphagian, polyphagous
1. Excessive eating; gluttony; bulimia.
2. The habit on the part of certain animals of feeding on many different types of food.
polyphagist
Anyone who has an excessive appetite or who eats too much.
polyphagy
1. Eating many kinds of food or consuming a great variety of foods.
2. Excessive, compulsive, or a continuous desire to eat.
polyphalangia, polyphalangism
1. Side-by-side duplication of one or more of the phalanges of a digit.
2. The condition of having more digital phalanges than normal; especially, in cases where polydactyly is absent.
3. The presence of more phalanges in a finger or a toe than is normal.
polypharmaceutical
1. A medicinal preparation containing several drugs.
2. Of or pertaining to polypharmacy.
polypharmacy
1. Prescription of many drugs at the same time.
2. An instance of excessive medication.
3. The use of many drugs or medicines in the treatment of disease; frequently, with the suggestion of indiscriminate, unscientific, or excessive prescription.
polypharmic
An herb or substance which when combined with other herbs in a formula or mixture tends to increase the synergistic interaction of the other ingredients.
polyphase
1. Having more than one phase or multiple phases.
2. Of or pertaining to a set of alternating currents that have the same frequency but different phases and that enter a specified region at more than two points.
polyphaser
1. A machine generating more than one pressure wave; a multiphaser.
2. Consisting of, or occurring, in a number of separate stages.
With reference to an electrical device, or circuit, a polyphaser is designed to supply or to use simultaneously several alternating currents of the same voltage and frequency but with different phases.
polyphase structure
The structure of a material consisting of several phases (particular stages or aspects).
polyphasia
1. Having more than two phases.
2. Habitually doing more than one thing at a time: "She has a polyphasic personality."
polyphasic
1. Having more than two phases.
2. Habitually doing more than one thing at a time: "He has a polyphasic life style."
3. Having multiple successive peaks of activity.
Related topics utilizing this poly- prefix: Polysemy and Polysemous and Polygamy Sections.
Inter-related cross references, directly or indirectly, involving word units meaning "more, plentiful, fullness, excessive, over flowing":
copi-;
exuber-;
hyper-;
multi-;
opulen-;
ple-;
pleio-;
plethor-;
super-;
total-;
ultra-;
undu-.
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