- ( pl polys) informal
short for polytechnic - informal
short for polyester - informal
short for polythene - (as modifier): poly bags
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pol•y
(pol′ē),USA pronunciation n., pl. pol•ies, adj.
n.
adj.
poly-,
poly.,
n.
- Informal Termspolyester (def. 2):a blend of poly and cotton.
- Clothinga fabric or garment made of polyester.
adj.
- Textilesmade of or containing polyester:a poly swimsuit.
- by shortening
poly-,
- a combining form with the meanings "much, many'' and, in chemistry, "polymeric,'' used in the formation of compound words:polyandrous;polyculture;polyethylene.
- Greek, combining form representing polýs; akin to Old English fela many. See plus
poly.,
- polytechnic.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
poly /ˈpɒlɪ/ n
poly-, prefix.
- poly- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "much, many'':polyandry (= the custom of having many husbands);polyglot (= speaking many languages).
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
poly- combining form
- more than one; many or much: polyhedron
- having an excessive or abnormal number or amount
'poly' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
aneurin
- Drayton
- poly-
- polyandry
- poly bag
- polygamy
- polyglot
- polygonum
- polygyny
- polyhedron
- Polyhymnia
- Polynesia
- polynya
- polyphagia
- polyphony
- polypody
- polysemy
- polysomic
- polysyndeton
- polyzoan
- poromeric
- roly-poly
- chubby
- duopoly
- monopolylogue
- monotechnic
- monotheism
- olestra
- oligopoly
- pleo-
- plus
- poli sci
- poll
- polyacid
- polyacrylamide
- polyacrylic acid
- polyacrylonitrile
- polyadelphous
- polyadenylic acid
- polyalcohol
- polyalphabetic substitution
- polyamide
- polyamine
- polyandrous
- polyangular
- polyanthus
- polyarchy
- polyarteritis
- polyarthritis
- polyarticular