polygynist
1
9.9
- noun
- /pəˈlɪdʒɪnɪst/
- He was known in the village as a polygynist, living with three wives in harmony.
Examples
-
"They were the most successful polygynists and used the labor of their many wives and the loyalties of weaker men to cater the planning of war parties and to organize large feasts."
Academic text (2003) -
When I knew him, he was a polygynist and did not attend church.
Academic text (1990) -
As a polygynist, he had to manage the needs and expectations of multiple spouses.
-
The documentary explored the life of a polygynist who balanced traditions and modern relationships.
Synonyms
19
8.2
A person who is married to more than one person at the same time
Surface Forms
Morphology
polygynist = polygyny (semi-transparent) = poly + gyn + y + ist
The word is regularly formed from the specialized noun 'polygyny' plus '-ist', but the base term itself is technical and not easily inferred by average learners.
Etymology
Polygynist comes from Greek parts poly- meaning 'many' and gyn- meaning 'woman', so a polygynist is a man who has two or more wives. You can remember poly- from polygon ('many' sides) and gyn- from gynecology ('care of women'), which helps explain the word's meaning.