polyandry
UK[ˈpɒl.iˌæn.dri]US[ˈpɑː.liˌæn.dri]
n
A form of marriage in which a woman has more than one husband at the same time.
n
The practice of having more than one male mate at one time, observed in certain animal species.
Morpheme Breakdown
poly
andry
poly
many
andry
male
Etymology
The term polyandry is a modern scientific formation, coined in the 17th century by combining two Greek roots. The prefix poly-, derived from the Proto-Indo-European root pele- meaning "to fill," conveys the sense of multiplicity. The core component -andry originates from the Greek anēr (genitive andros), meaning "man," which itself traces back to the Proto-Indo-European ner- meaning "man" or "vital force." Literally "the state of having many husbands," the word's logic directly maps its classical components to the specific anthropological and biological concept, maintaining a clear semantic link from its ancient constituents to its modern, specialized meaning.
Analysis
Structure: poly (many) + andry (male)
poly (from Greek polys, meaning "many, much"; serves as a quantitative prefix). andry (from Greek andr-, stem of anēr, meaning "man, male"; serves as the core noun root).
Examples
Polyandry is a rare but documented marital practice in some Himalayan societies.
The anthropologist studied the social structures that support polyandry in that culture.
In some bird species, polyandry occurs when one female mates with several males who all help raise the young.