Polyphagy
(Po*lyph""a*gy) n. The practice or faculty of subsisting on many kinds of food.
Polypharmacy
(Pol`y*phar"ma*cy) n. [Poly- + Gr. the using of medicine, fr. medicine: cf. F. polypharmacie.]
(Med.) (a) The act or practice of prescribing too many medicines. (b) A prescription made up of many
medicines or ingredients. Dunglison.
Polyphemus
(Pol`y*phe"mus) n. [L. Polyphemus the one-eyed Cyclops who was blinded by Ulysses.]
(Zoöl.) A very large American moth (Telea polyphemus) belonging to the Silkworm family Its larva, which
is very large, bright green, with silvery tubercles, and with oblique white stripes on the sides, feeds on
the oak, chestnut, willow, cherry, apple, and other trees. It produces a large amount of strong silk. Called
also American silkworm.
Polyphone
(Pol"y*phone) n. A character or vocal sign representing more than one sound, as read,
which is pronounced red or red.
Polyphonic
(Pol`y*phon"ic) a. [Gr. poly`s many + sound: cf. F. polyphone.]
1. Having a multiplicity of sounds.
2. Characterized by polyphony; as, Assyrian polyphonic characters.
3. (Mus.) Consisting of several tone series, or melodic parts, progressing simultaneously according
to the laws of counterpoint; contrapuntal; as, a polyphonic composition; — opposed to homophonic, or
monodic.
Polyphonism
(Po*lyph"o*nism) n. Polyphony.
Polyphonist
(Po*lyph"o*nist) n.
1. A proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist.
2. (Mus.) A master of polyphony; a contrapuntist.
Polyphonous
(Po*lyph"o*nous) a. Same as Polyphonic.
Polyphony
(Po*lyph"o*ny) n.
1. Multiplicity of sounds, as in the reverberations of an echo.
2. Plurality of sounds and articulations expressed by the same vocal sign.
3. (Mus.) Composition in mutually related, equally important parts which share the melody among
them; contrapuntal composition; — opposed to homophony, in which the melody is given to one part
only, the others filling out the harmony. See Counterpoint.
Polyphore
(Pol"y*phore) n. [Poly- + Gr. to bear.] (Bot.) A receptacle which bears many ovaries.
Polyphyletic
(Pol`y*phy*let"ic) a. [Poly- + Gr. clan.] (Biol.) Pertaining to, or characterized by, descent
from more than one root form, or from many different root forms; polygenetic; — opposed to monophyletic.
Polyphyllous
(Po*lyph"yl*lous) a. [Gr. poly`s many + leaf.] (Bot.) Many-leaved; as, a polyphyllous
calyx or perianth.
Polypi
(||Pol"y*pi) n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) The Anthozoa.
Polypide
(Pol"y*pide) n. (Zoöl.) One of the ordinary zooids of the Bryozoa. [Spellt also polypid.]
