Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Variety or multiplicity of names for the same object. Specifically
- noun In zoology, same as
polynomialism .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The use of many names for the same thing or person.
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From Ancient Greek πολύς (polus, "many, much") and ὄνομα (onoma, "name").
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Examples
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whichbe commented on the word polyonymy
Use of many names for same thing; use of polynomial term or name.
May 16, 2008
seanahan commented on the word polyonymy
Contrast with polysemy, which is one word for many things.
May 16, 2008
mollusque commented on the word polyonymy
Great word! Seems to me polyonymy has several aspects: it includes words for the same thing in different languages (cat, chat, gato, gatto, 猫); names referring to different aspects of the same thing (Venus, morning star, evening star); nicknames (Elvis the Pelvis, The King, The Memphis Flash); and allonyms, different words for the same thing in the same language (Caribbean English: eggplant, antrover, aubergine, baigan... allonym for details'>see allonym for details. It does not include synonyms that refer to different but similar things (automobile, sedan, jalopy).
May 16, 2008