<B>polyelectrolyte, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an electrolyte of high molecular weight that dissociates unevenly in solution, leaving positive or negative ions joined to the polymer structure. Polyelectrolytes are used as soil conditioners and flocculating agents. </DL>
<A NAME="polyembryony">
<B>polyembryony, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) the formation or presence of more than one embryo in a seed. </DL>
<A NAME="polyene">
<B>polyene, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any chemical compound of a group characterized by a number of coupled double bonds. </DL>
<A NAME="polyester">
<B>polyester, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a large group of synthetic polymeric resins made by changing various acids into esters with alcohols, glycerol, or glycols. Polyesters are used in the manufacture of paints, synthetic fibers, films, and reinforced plastics for construction. </DL>
<A NAME="polyesterfiber">
<B>polyester fiber,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a synthetic, wrinkle- and abrasion-resistant fiber made by the condensation of terephthalic acid and glycol, used alone or in combination with other fibers in shirts, suits, and fabric for other articles. </DL>
<A NAME="polyetherfoam">
<B>polyether foam,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a polyurethane made from a polymer chain composed of repeating units of ether and oxygen. </DL>
<A NAME="polyethnic">
<B>polyethnic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> belonging to or containing many nations or races. </DL>
<A NAME="polyethylene">
<B>polyethylene, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of various very durable thermoplastics produced by the polymerization of ethylene, used especially for containers, insulation, and tubing. </DL>
<A NAME="polyethyleneglycol">
<B>polyethylene glycol,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> any one of various colorless and odorless polymers of ethylene glycol, ranging from viscous liquids, with molecular weights of about 200, to waxy solids, with molecular weights of about 6000. Polyethylene glycols are used as lubricants, solvents, intermediates, and bases for cosmetics. </DL>
<A NAME="polyfoil">
<B>polyfoil, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Architecture.) <DD><I>adj. </I> consisting of or decorated with more than five foils; multifoil. <BR> <I>Ex. a polyfoil window, a polyfoil arch.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> a polyfoil opening or ornament; multifoil. </DL>
<A NAME="polygala">
<B>polygala, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a large group of herbs and shrubs, commonly knownas milkworts, such as the fringed polygala of North America. </DL>
<A NAME="polygalaceous">
<B>polygalaceous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> belonging to the milkwort family of plants typified by the milkwort or polygala. </DL>
<A NAME="polygamist">
<B>polygamist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who practices or favors polygamy. </DL>
<A NAME="polygamous">
<B>polygamous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>having more than one wife at the same time. <DD><B> b. </B>(less commonly) having more than one husband at the same time. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Botany.) bearing both unisexual and hermaphrodite flowers on the same plant or on different plants of the same species. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Zoology.) <DD><B> a. </B>having several mates at the same time. <BR> <I>Ex. The war is, perhaps, severest between the males of polygamous animals (Charles Darwin).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>characterized by polygamy. <BR> <I>Ex. a polygamous species.</I> adv. <B>polygamously.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="polygamy">
<B>polygamy, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1a. </B>the practice or condition of having more than one wife at the same time. The Moslem religion permits men to practice polygamy. <DD><B> b. </B>(less commonly) the practice or condition of having more than one husband at the same time. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Zoology.) the practice of having several mates at the same time, usually one male with several females. </DL>
<A NAME="polygene">
<B>polygene, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of genes whose individually small but cumulatively powerful operation controls a complex hereditary character, such as height. </DL>
<A NAME="polygenesis">
<B>polygenesis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Biology.) the theory of the origination of a race or species from several independent ancestors or germ cells. </DL>
<A NAME="polygenetic">
<B>polygenetic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>(Biology.) of or having to do with polygenesis. <DD><B> 2. </B>having more than one origin; formed in several different ways or at several different times. </DL>
<A NAME="polygenic">
<B>polygenic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with polygeny. <DD><B> 2. </B>of or having to do with polygenes. </DL>
<A NAME="polygenicinheritance">
<B>polygenic inheritance,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the presence of complex hereditary characters that have developed from a relatively large number of genes operating collectively. </DL>
<A NAME="polygeny">
<B>polygeny, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the theoretical origination of mankind or a human race from several separate and independent pairs of ancestors. </DL>
<A NAME="polyglass">
<B>polyglass</B> or <B>polyglas tire,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> an automobile tire with a polyester-fiber cord and a fiberglass belt molded around the outside, designed for better traction and longer tread wear. </DL>
<A NAME="polyglot">
<B>polyglot, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>speaking or writing several languages. <BR> <I>Ex. The new school had a large and polyglot student body (Atlantic).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>written in several languages. <BR> <I>Ex. a polyglot Bible.</I> <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a person who speaks or writes several languages. <DD><B> 2. </B>a book written in several languages. <DD><B> 3. </B>a mixture or confusion of several languages. </DL>
<A NAME="polyglottal">
<B>polyglottal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> speaking several languages. </DL>
<A NAME="polyglottery">
<B>polyglottery, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> knowledge of many languages; the skill of a polyglot. </DL>
<A NAME="polyglottic">
<B>polyglottic, </B>adjective. =polyglottal.</DL>
<A NAME="polyglycol">
<B>polyglycol, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B><B>=polyethylene glycol.</B> <DD><B> 2. </B>any compound related to polyethylene glycol. </DL>
<A NAME="polygon">
<B>polygon, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a closed plane figure having three or more angles and straight sides. </DL>
<A NAME="polygonaceous">
<B>polygonaceous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> belonging to the buckwheat family of plants, including the knotgrass, jointweed, and dock. </DL>
<A NAME="polygonal">
<B>polygonal, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having more than three angles and three sides. adv. <B>polygonally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="polygonometric">
<B>polygonometric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with polygonometry. </DL>
<A NAME="polygonometry">
<B>polygonometry, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a branch of mathematics dealing with the measurement and properties of polygons. </DL>
<A NAME="polygonum">
<B>polygonum, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any plant of a large and widely distributed group of the buckwheat family, consisting mainly of herbs, characterized by a stem with swollen joints sheathed by the stipules, such as the knotgrass, bistort, and smartweed. </DL>
<A NAME="polygony">
<B>polygony, </B>noun. =polygonum.</DL>
<A NAME="polygraph">
<B>polygraph, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B><B>=lie detector.</B> <DD><B> 2. </B>(Medicine.) an instrument for recording several pulsations, as of an artery, a vein, and the heart, all at once. <DD><B> 3. </B>an apparatus resembling a pantograph, used for making two or more identical drawings or writings simultaneously. <DD><B> 4. </B>a prolific or versatile author. </DL>
<A NAME="polygraphic">
<B>polygraphic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having to do with multiplication of copies of a drawing or writing. <BR> <I>Ex. a polygraphic instrument.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>done with a polygraph. </DL>
<B>polygynist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who practices or favors polygyny. </DL>
<A NAME="polygynous">
<B>polygynous, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>having more than one wife at the same time. <DD><B> 2. </B>of, having to do with, or involving polygyny. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Botany.) having many pistils or styles. </DL>
<A NAME="polygyny">
<B>polygyny, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>the practice or condition of having more than one wife at the same time. The Moslem religion permits polygyny. <DD><B> 2. </B>the practice of a male animal of having several mates. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Botany.) the state of having many pistils or styles. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhalite">
<B>polyhalite, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a mineral consisting essentially of a hydrous sulphate of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, occurring usually in fibrous masses, and of a brick-red color caused by the presence of iron. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhedral">
<B>polyhedral, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>of or having to do with a polyhedron. <DD><B> 2. </B>having many faces. <DD><B> 3. </B>having to do with or causing polyhedrosis. <BR> <I>Ex. a polyhedral virus.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="polyhedron">
<B>polyhedron, </B>noun, pl. <B>-drons,</B> <B>-dra.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a solid figure having four or more faces. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhedrosis">
<B>polyhedrosis, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of several diseases of insect larvae, such as the corn earworm, caused by a type of virus that forms polyhedral protein granules inside the nuclei of the larval cells. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhistor">
<B>polyhistor, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person of great or varied learning; polymath. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhistorian">
<B>polyhistorian, </B>noun. =polyhistor.</DL>
<A NAME="polyhistoric">
<B>polyhistoric, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or exhibiting wide and varied knowledge. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhistory">
<B>polyhistory, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> great or varied learning. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhydric">
<B>polyhydric, </B>adjective. =polyhydroxy.</DL>
<A NAME="polyhydroxy">
<B>polyhydroxy, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Chemistry.) having several hydroxyl (-OH) radicals. </DL>
<A NAME="polyhymnia">
<B>Polyhymnia, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Greek Mythology.) the Muse of religious poetry. </DL>
<A NAME="polyl:c">
<B>poly l:C,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a synthetic chemical compound that stimulates the body to produce interferon by its resemblance to the RNA core of infectious viruses. </DL>
<A NAME="polyimide">
<B>polyimide, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a class of tough, heat-resistant polymeric resins used as ablators, adhesives, semiconductors, and insulators. </DL>
