polyglot

3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for polyglot, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A person who knows and can use several languages.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

multilingual speaker linguist multilingual

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A person who knows and can use several languages.

“As a polyglot, she switched between Portuguese, Arabic and Dutch in a single conversation.”

multilingual speaker linguist

Opposites

monoglot

2. adjective

Using, containing or speaking several languages.

“A polyglot edition of the Bible with the text in four languages side by side.”

multilingual

Opposites

monolingual

How to use polyglot

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a fluent polyglot polyglot city polyglot edition

Slightly formal or literary as a noun; the adjective is common in travel and historical writing.

Etymology

From Greek polyglōttos, from poly-, "many", and glōtta, "tongue, language".

Full origin of polyglot →

Frequently asked questions

How many languages do you need to be a polyglot?

There is no official threshold, but the word is normally used of people who use at least three or four languages with real competence. Someone with two is usually just called bilingual.

What is the difference between a polyglot and a linguist?

A polyglot speaks many languages. A linguist studies language scientifically — its structure, sounds and history — and may only speak one. The words are often used loosely in everyday speech, but the distinction matters academically.

What is the difference between a polyglot and a polymath?

A polyglot's range is in languages; a polymath's range is across many fields of knowledge, such as science, art and philosophy. Both come from Greek poly-, meaning many.

People also searched

monoglot monolingual multilingual linguist

Nearby words

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