polyglot
Part of speech: noun
adj
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
programming
sciences
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.
Base: poly
Inflected forms:
form: polyglots
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: polyglott
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: more polyglot
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most polyglot
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: polyglott
pos: adj
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: A publication in several languages; specifically, a book (especially a bible) containing several versions of the same subject matter or text in several languages.
pos: noun
examples: [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.
But ſince that period the biblical apparatus has been much enriched by the publication of polyglots; […]
gloss: One who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages.
pos: noun
tags: also
figuratively
examples: Laſtly, a polyg[l]ot or good linguiſt may alſo be term'd a uſefull learned man, ſpecially if vers'd in School-languages.
gloss: A mixture of languages or nomenclatures.
pos: noun
tags: also
figuratively
gloss: A file that can be interpreted validly as multiple formats.
pos: noun
examples: 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.
gloss: A program written to be valid in multiple programming languages.
pos: noun
gloss: A bird able to imitate the sounds of other birds.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
gloss: Of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages; multilingual.
pos: adj
examples: '[T]is thought the two and twenty Languages which Mythrydates the great Polyglot King of Pontus did ſpeak, wer all within the circumference of Anatolia in regard his dominions extended but a little further: […]
For this flyaway son of a Phœnician did not seem to wait for the decision of the polyglot Judges of the Emigration Board.
Esperanto is never a speaker’s only language but has to compete with their (usually stronger) other languages. As Esperanto speakers are more polyglot than average[…], this competition is even stronger.
gloss: Containing, or made up of, several languages; specifically, of a book (especially a bible): having text translated into several languages.
pos: adj
examples: a polyglot bible    a polyglot lexicon
gloss: Comprising various (native) linguistic groups; multilingual.
pos: adj
examples: Even in Switzerland, one of the most polyglot of nations, no more than 10 percent of the people are capable of writing a simple letter in English.
A polyglot region without a clearly dominant culture may develop an artificial lingua franca, such as Pidgin English in the South Sea.
Related words: diglossia
diglossic
diglossically
diglottism
monoglottism
polyglossia
polyglossic
polyglossy
triglossia
triglossic
bilingual
monolingual
multilingual
parallel text
trilingual
Derived words: hyperpolyglot
polyglotism
polyglottism
polyglottal
polyglotted
polyglottery
polyglottic
polyglottology
polyglotwise
Translations: