poly
See also: Appendix:Variations of "poly"
English edit
Etymology 1 edit
Shortening of various words.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
poly (countable and uncountable, plural polys)
- (informal) A polytechnic.
- Polyethylene (polythene).
- Polyurethane.
- (chiefly computer graphics) A polygon.
- 2009, Andrew Paquette, Computer Graphics for Artists II: Environments and Characters:
- The most common poly budget in use for games at the time of this writing is between 5,000 and 10,000 tris.
- (uncountable) Polyester.
- a cotton-poly blend
- (chiefly informal) Polyamory.
- (chiefly informal) A polyamorous person.
- (chiefly informal) A polycule.
Adjective edit
poly (not comparable)
- (chiefly informal) Polyamorous.
- 2020 August 4, Cynthia McKelvey, “The Challenges of Polyamorous Parenting”, in The New York Times[1]:
- Whether the family is poly, L.G.B.T.Q. or another minority, such as a religious one, coming out is very much a personal decision.
Verb edit
poly (third-person singular simple present polys, present participle polying, simple past and past participle polyed)
- (transitive, intransitive, video games, roguelikes) To polymorph; to transform by magic.
Derived terms edit
Etymology 2 edit
From Latin polium, the name of a plant, perhaps Teucrium polium.
Alternative forms edit
Pronunciation edit
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpəʊli/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (General American) IPA(key): /ˈpoʊli/
- Rhymes: -əʊli
Noun edit
poly
- A whitish woolly plant (Teucrium polium) of the family Labiatae, found throughout the Mediterranean.
Usage notes edit
- The name, with various prefixes, is sometimes given to other related species of the same genus.
Derived terms edit
Further reading edit
- “poly”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Anagrams edit
French edit
Adjective edit
poly (plural polys)
- (slang) Clipping of polytechnique.
- (slang) Clipping of polyvalent.
Noun edit
poly m or f (plural polys)
- (slang) Clipping of polytechnique; itself a clipping of institut polytechnique or école polytechnique
- (slang) Clipping of polyvalente; itself a clipping of institut polyvalent or école polyvalente