poly- +
(Greek: many, much; too many, too much, excessive; abnormal)
Don’t confuse this poly- with another -poly which means “to sell”.
polydipsia
The drinking of water in abnormally large amounts.
It may be psycogenic, or secondary to dehydration due to any cause, or an attempt to keep up with a sustained polyuria, as in diabetes insipidus or diabetes mellitus.
polydipsic
A reference to a chronic excessive thirst and intake of fluids.
It may be descriptive of an organic cause; such as, the dehydration of diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, or a reaction to a medication, or it could be caused by some kind of psychological condition.
polydisperse
Relating to, characterized by, or characterized as particles of varied sizes in the dispersed phase of a disperse system.
polydomic
A reference to colonies of social insects that occupy more than one nest (monodomic).
polydomous, polydomic
Referring to colonies of social insects that occupy more than one nest.
polydontia
Having more than the normal number of teeth.
polydynamic
A reference to many or varied forces.
polydystrophy, polydystrophic
A condition characterized by the presence of many congenital anomalies of the connective tissues.
polyembolokoilamania
A reference to children with Smith-Magenis syndrome, who have the bad habit of inserting foreign bodies into body orifices (usually into the ears).
polyemia, polyaemia
A condition marked by an excessive amount of blood in the system.
polyendocrinopathy
A disease usually caused by insufficiency of multiple endocrine glands.
polyesthetic
1. Relating to, or affecting, several senses or sensations.
2. Referring to dysesthesia in which a single object seems to be felt in several different places.
polyestrous
A description of an animal that completes two or more fertile cycles during a mating season.
polyethism
The division of labor within a society on the basis of morphological castes (caste polyethism) or age (age polyethism).
polyethnic
Formed of or inhabited by many different kinds of people or races of people.
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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