I. ˈpälēˌglät, -lə̇ˌg-, usu -gläd.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Greek polyglōttos, polyglōssos speaking many languages, many-tongued, from poly- + -glōttos glōssos tongued (from glōtta, glōssa tongue, language) — more at gloss
1. : one who speaks or writes several languages
2. usually capitalized
a. : a book containing versions of the same text in several languages arranged for comparison usually in parallel columns ; especially : the Scriptures in several languages
b. : an edition of the Bible containing a monolingual text taken from a multilingual Bible
3. : a mixture or confusion of languages or nomenclatures
a polyglot of diagnostic labels and systems — G.N.Raines
II. adjective
1.
a. : speaking or writing several or many languages : multilingual
a polyglot traveler
b. : composed of or belonging to numerous linguistic groups
a polyglot population
a city of sharp extremes between the rich and transient and the mass of polyglot poor — Reporter
catering to the thousands of polyglot seamen — American Guide Series: New York City
2. : containing matter in several languages
a polyglot sign
a polyglot dictionary
especially : composed of correlative text in several languages often arranged in parallel columns
a polyglot Bible
3. : composed of elements from different languages
verbose, erudite, and polyglot slang — C.H.Sykes
researchers themselves have inherited a curious polyglot terminology — A.G.N.Flew
III. adjective
: widely diverse (as in ethnic or cultural origin)
a polyglot cuisine