Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter P - Page 91

Polymorphic (a.) Polymorphous.

Polymorphism (n.) Same as Pleomorphism.

Polymorphism (n.) The capability of assuming different forms; the capability of widely varying in form.

Polymorphism (n.) Existence in many forms; the coexistence, in the same locality, of two or more distinct forms independent of sex, not connected by intermediate gradations, but produced from common parents.

Polymorphosis (n.) The assumption of several structural forms without a corresponding difference in function; -- said of sponges, etc.

Polymorphous (a.) Having, or assuming, a variety of forms, characters, or styles; as, a polymorphous author.

Polymorphous (a.) Having, or occurring in, several distinct forms; -- opposed to monomorphic.

Polymorphy (n.) Existence in many forms; polymorphism.

Poly-mountain (n.) Same as Poly, n.

Poly-mountain (n.) The closely related Teucrium montanum, formerly called Polium montanum, a plant of Southern Europe.

Poly-mountain (n.) The Bartsia alpina, a low purple-flowered herb of Europe.

Polymyodae (n. pl.) Same as Oscines.

Polymyodous (a.) Polymyoid.

Polymyoid (a.) Having numerous vocal muscles; of or pertaining to the Polymyodae.

Polyneme (n.) Any one of numerous species of tropical food fishes of the family Polynemidae. They have several slender filaments, often very long, below the pectoral fin. Some of them yield isinglass of good quality. Called also threadfish.

Polynemoid (a.) Of or pertaining to the polynemes, or the family Polynemidae.

Polynesian (a.) Of or pertaining to Polynesia (the islands of the eastern and central Pacific), or to the Polynesians.

Polynesians (n. pl.) The race of men native in Polynesia.

Polynia (n.) The open sea supposed to surround the north pole.

Polynomial (n.) An expression composed of two or more terms, connected by the signs plus or minus; as, a2 - 2ab + b2.

Polynomial (a.) Containing many names or terms; multinominal; as, the polynomial theorem.

Polynomial (a.) Consisting of two or more words; having names consisting of two or more words; as, a polynomial name; polynomial nomenclature.

Polynuclear (a.) Containing many nuclei.

Polynucleolar (a.) Having more than one nucleolus.

Polyommatous (a.) Having many eyes.

Polyonomous (a.) Having many names or titles; polyonymous.

Polyonomy (n.) The use of a variety of names for the same object.

Polyonym (n.) An object which has a variety of names.

Polyonym (n.) A polynomial name or term.

Polyonymous (a.) Polyonomous.

Polyoptron (n.) Alt. of Polyoptrum

Polyoptrum (n.) A glass through which objects appear multiplied, but diminished in size.

Polyorama (n.) A view of many objects; also, a sort of panorama with dissolving views.

Polyp (n.) One of the feeding or nutritive zooids of a hydroid or coral.

Polyp (n.) One of the Anthozoa.

Polyp (n.) Same as Anthozoa. See Anthozoa, Madreporaria, Hydroid.

Polyparous (a.) Producing or bearing a great number; bringing forth many.

Polyparies (pl. ) of Polypary

Polypary (n.) Same as Polypidom.

Polype (n.) See Polyp.

Polypean (a.) Of or pertaining to a polyp, or polyps.

Polyperythrin (n.) A coloring matter found in many simple Anthozoa and some hydroids.

Polypetalous (a.) Consisting of, or having, several or many separate petals; as, a polypetalous corolla, flower, or plant.

Polyphagous (a.) Eating, or subsisting on, many kinds of food; as, polyphagous animals.

Polyphagy (n.) The practice or faculty of subsisting on many kinds of food.

Polypharmacy (n.) The act or practice of prescribing too many medicines.

Polypharmacy (n.) A prescription made up of many medicines or ingredients.

Polyphemus (n.) A very large American moth (Telea polyphemus) belonging to the Silkworm family (Bombycidae). 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 (n.) A character or vocal sign representing more than one sound, as read, which is pronounced red.

Polyphonic (a.) Having a multiplicity of sounds.

Polyphonic (a.) Characterized by polyphony; as, Assyrian polyphonic characters.

Polyphonic (a.) 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 (n.) Polyphony.

Polyphonist (n.) A proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist.

Polyphonist (n.) A master of polyphony; a contrapuntist.

Polyphonous (a.) Same as Polyphonic.

Polyphony (n.) Multiplicity of sounds, as in the reverberations of an echo.

Polyphony (n.) Plurality of sounds and articulations expressed by the same vocal sign.

Polyphony (n.) 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 (n.) A receptacle which bears many ovaries.

Polyphyletic (a.) Pertaining to, or characterized by, descent from more than one root form, or from many different root forms; polygenetic; -- opposed to monophyletic.

Polyphyllous (a.) Many-leaved; as, a polyphyllous calyx or perianth.

Polypi (n. pl.) The Anthozoa.

Polypide (n.) One of the ordinary zooids of the Bryozoa.

Polypidom (n.) A coral, or corallum; also, one of the coral-like structure made by bryozoans and hydroids.

Polypier (n.) A polypidom.

Polypifera (n. pl.) The Anthozoa.

Polypiferous (a.) Bearing polyps, or polypites.

Polypiparous (a.) Producing polyps.

Polypite (n.) One of the feeding zooids, or polyps, of a coral, hydroid, or siphonophore; a hydranth. See Illust. of Campanularian.

Polypite (n.) Sometimes, the manubrium of a hydroid medusa.

Polypite (n.) A fossil coral.

Polyplacophora (n. pl.) See Placophora.

Polyplastic (a.) Assuming, or having the power of assuming, many forms; as, a polyplastic element which does not preserve its original shape.

Polypode (n.) A plant of the genus Polypodium; polypody.

Polypode (n.) An animal having many feet; a myriapod.

Polypodium (n.) A genus of plants of the order Filices or ferns. The fructifications are in uncovered roundish points, called sori, scattered over the inferior surface of the frond or leaf. There are numerous species.

Polypody (n.) Any plant of the genus Polypodium.

Polypoid (a.) Like a polyp; having the nature of a polyp, but lacking the tentacles or other parts.

Polypoid (a.) Resembling a polypus in appearance; having a character like that of a polypus.

Polypomedusae (n. pl.) Same as Hydrozoa.

Polyporous (a.) Having many pores.

Polypori (pl. ) of Polyporus

Polyporus (n.) A genus of fungi having the under surface full of minute pores; also, any fungus of this genus.

Polypous (a.) Of the nature of a polypus; having many feet or roots, like the polypus; affected with polypus.

Polypragmatic (a.) Alt. of Polypragmatical

Polypragmatical (a.) Overbusy; officious.

Polypragmaty (n.) The state of being overbusy.

Polyprotodonta (n. pl.) A division of marsupials in which there are more fore incisor teeth in each jaw.

Polypteroidei (n. pl.) A suborder of existing ganoid fishes having numerous fins along the back. The bichir, or Polypterus, is the type. See Illust. under Crossopterygian.

Polypterus (n.) An African genus of ganoid fishes including the bichir.

Polyptoton (n.) A figure by which a word is repeated in different forms, cases, numbers, genders, etc., as in Tennyson's line, -- "My own heart's heart, and ownest own, farewell."

Polypuses (pl. ) of Polypus

Polypi (pl. ) of Polypus

Polypus (n.) Same as Polyp.

Polypus (n.) A tumor, usually with a narrow base, somewhat resembling a pear, -- found in the nose, uterus, etc., and produced by hypertrophy of some portion of the mucous membrane.

Polyrhizous (a.) Having numerous roots, or rootlets.

Polyschematist (a.) Having, or existing in, many different forms or fashions; multiform.

Polyscope (n.) A glass which makes a single object appear as many; a multiplying glass.

Polyscope (n.) An apparatus for affording a view of the different cavities of the body.

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