noun

polyandry

POL-ee-an-dree

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Polyandry (noun) means Polyandry is a form of marriage in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time. Example: “Polyandry is practised in a small number of societies where a woman has more than one husband at once.”

noun

formal Polyandry is a form of marriage in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time.

"Polyandry is practised in a small number of societies where a woman has more than one husband at once."

"Researchers studying kinship systems documented a rare case of polyandry in the region."

"Under polyandry, a household may include one wife and more than one husband."

technical In zoology, polyandry describes a mating pattern in which a female animal mates with several males.

"Polyandry is common among certain bird species, where a female mates with multiple males in one season."

"The study compared polyandry in insects with the more usual single-mate pattern."

"Female polyandry can make it harder to work out which male fathered a particular offspring."

technical In botany, polyandry refers to a flower having a large number of stamens.

"Polyandry is a feature botanists use to help identify certain flowering plant families."

"The rose's polyandry, its cluster of many stamens, is easy to see once the petals are removed."

"Botanists noted polyandry as one trait separating the two related species."

How to use polyandry

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPolyandry means having more than one husband, or in biology and botany, a similar 'many males' pattern.

When to use it

This is a formal, mostly academic term used in anthropology, zoology and botany rather than everyday speech.

Memory tip

Link 'andry' to 'android' or 'Andrew', both connected to men, to remember polyandry is about multiple husbands or males.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

polygamy → polygyny →

Common pairings

practise polyandry a form of polyandry polyandry among birds cases of polyandry

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “polyandry” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ is practised in a small number of societies where a woman has more than one husband at once.

Etymology

Polyandry is formed from the prefix poly-, meaning many, joined to the ending -andry, which relates to men or males. Put together, the word originally pointed to a woman having many husbands.

Origin: Greek

Antonyms

monandry polygyny

Related words

harem polygyny

Rhymes for polyandry

Landry

See all rhymes for polyandry →

Frequently asked questions

What does polyandry mean?

It most commonly means a form of marriage where one woman has more than one husband at the same time.

Is polyandry the same as polygamy?

Polyandry is one type of polygamy, specifically the type involving one wife and multiple husbands, rather than the general term for having multiple spouses.

Does polyandry only apply to humans?

No. Zoologists also use polyandry to describe a female animal mating with several males, and botanists use it to describe a flower with many stamens.

What is the meaning of polyandry?

"polyandry" (noun) means polyandry is a form of marriage in which a woman has two or more husbands at the same time.

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