polyglot
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: note: of the US
ipa: /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/
note: of CA
ipa: /ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/
ipa: /ˈpɔlɪɡlɔt/
ipa: /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/
Forms: form: polyglots
form: polyglott
Etymology: PIE word
 *glōgʰs
Borrowed from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), alternative form of Ancient Greek πολῠ́γλωσσος (polŭ́glōssos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), from πολῠ́ς (polŭ́s, “a lot of, many”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)) + Attic Greek γλῶττα (glôtta), Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ (glôssă, “tongue; language”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glōgʰs (“tip of corn”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming o-grade action nouns). The English word is analysable as poly- + -glot.
Noun sense 1 (“publication in several languages”) is probably derived from Late Latin polyglottus, from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos): see above.
Senses: examples: text: [T]hose coming to the warehouses' doors fired them, and burned all the books and the pillars of the church, […] A great want thereof there will be of books, specially Latin books and foreign books; and, among others, the Polyglottes and new Bible, which he believes will be presently worth £40 a-piece.
ref: 1666 October 15 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “October 5th, 1666”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume VI, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1895, →OCLC, page 7:
text: But ſince that period the biblical apparatus has been much enriched by the publication of polyglots; […]
ref: 1792, William Newcome, “Arguments Shewing that an Improved Version of the Bible is Expedient”, in An Historical View of the English Biblical Translations: The Expediency of Revising by Authority our Present Translation: And the Means of Executing Such a Revision, Dublin: […] John Exshaw, →OCLC, page 239:
glosses: A publication in several languages; specifically, a book (especially a bible) containing several versions of the same subject matter or text in several languages.
examples: text: Laſtly, a polyg[l]ot or good linguiſt may alſo be term'd a uſefull learned man, ſpecially if vers'd in School-languages.
ref: c. 1646–1647, James Howell, “VIII. To the Right Honourable My Lord of D.”, in [Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ.] A Third Volume of Familiar Letters of a Fresher Date. […], 3rd edition, volume III, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], published 1655, →OCLC, section, page 15:
synonyms: word: multilinguist
word: polyglotter
word: polyglottist
word: polylinguist
glosses: One who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages.
glosses: A mixture of languages or nomenclatures.
examples: text: If you are interested in polyglot file formats, take a look at the polyglot web page in the Corkami wiki. There are various example polyglots, including a PDF file that is also a valid HTML file with JavaScript, as well as a valid Windows PE executable.
ref: 2015, Joxean Koret, Elias Bachaalany, “Evading Scanners”, in The Antivirus Hacker’s Handbook, Indianapolis, Ind.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, part II (Antivirus Software Evasion), page 148:
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: A file that can be interpreted validly as multiple formats.
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
programming
sciences
glosses: A program written to be valid in multiple programming languages.
glosses: A bird able to imitate the sounds of other birds.
Derived terms: hyperpolyglot