-mē, -mi noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle French polygamie, from Late Latin polygamia, from Greek, from poly- + -gamia (from gamos marriage + -ia -y) — more at bigamy
1. : the state or fact of being polygamous ; specifically : a marriage form in which a spouse of either sex may possess a plurality of mates at the same time — used either inclusively of both polygyny and polyandry or exclusively of polygyny
among the Batak of Palawan both polygamy and polyandry exist
the Mormons' former practice of polygamy
— compare bigamy , monogamy
2. : possession of a plurality of benefices
3. : the condition of bearing both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant
4. zoology : the condition of having more than one mate at one time