polygamous

/pəˈlɪgəməs/

Other forms: polygamously

Someone who's polygamous has more than one husband or wife. Polygamous societies still exist, but it's more common for most people today to be married to one person at a time.

You can describe someone with seven husbands as polygamous, and you can also use the word to describe an animal with several mates as well as a plant with a particularly varied reproductive system. The Late Greek source is polygamos, "often married," which combines the roots polys, "many," and gamos, "marriage."

Definitions of polygamous

1. adjective

   having more than one mate at a time; used of relationships and individuals
   synonyms:

   bigamous

   of illegal marriage to a second person while legally married to a first

   polyandrous

   having more than one husband at a time

   polygynous

   having more than one wife at a time

   antonyms:

   monogamous

   (used of relationships and of individuals) having one mate

   monandrous

   having only one husband at a time

   monogynic, monogynous

   having one head or chief wife at a time (along with concubines)
2. adjective

   having several forms of gametoecia on the same plant
   synonyms: heteroicous, polyoicous

   monecious, monoecious, monoicous

   having male and female reproductive organs in the same plant or animal