Vocabulary List #19
-poly-(Greek root)
comes from polys, meaning “many”
1. polychromatic
Example: In the zoo, the peacock displayed her polychromatic feathers in order to show off for the other, less colorful animals.
Part of speech
adjective
Definition:showing a variety or a change of colors; multicolored.
2. polytheism
Example: I recently became interested in polytheism after visiting an African tribe and learning about how to honor the rain gods.
Part of speechnoun
Definition:the belief in more than one god or in many gods.
3. polyglot
Example: My sister, the polyglot, is fluent in Spanish, French, and German.
Part of speechnoun
Definition:a person who speaks, writes, or reads a number of languages
4. polygraphExample: Jerry Springer is well known for promoting the
use of a polygraph machine in order to determine the truthfulness of his guests’ testimonies.
Part of speechnoun
Definition:an instrument used for testing to determine if a person is telling the truth by receiving and recording simultaneously tracings of variations in certain body activities
5. polynomial
Example: In math, a polynomial expression might be ax2 + bx + c because it consists of the sum of two or more terms.
Part of speechnoun
Definition:consisting of or characterized by two or more names or terms
Academic Vocabulary #19
1. synthesize
Example: You need to synthesize multiple sources into your research paper.
Part of speechverb
Definition:to combine different ideas, influences, or objects into a new whole, or be combined in this way
2. consistent
Example: Young children need a daily routine that is consistent; irregularity in their routine can cause behavioral problems.
Part of speechadjective
Definition: reliable—able to maintain a particular
standard and free of contradiction