Dictionary

polyglot en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Texas) audio
• /ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/ (General-American, dialectal) of CA
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ (Australia)
• /ˈpɔlɪɡlɔt/ (Australia)
• /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ (Canada, Received-Pronunciation, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

PIE word *glōgʰs Borrowed from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), alternative form of Ancient Greek πολῠ́γλωσσος (polŭ́glōssos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), from πολῠ́ς (polŭ́s, “a lot of, many”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)) + Attic Greek γλῶττα (glôtta), Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ (glôssă, “tongue; language”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glōgʰs (“tip of corn”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming o-grade action nouns). The English word is analysable as poly- + -glot. Noun sense 1 (“publication in several languages”) is probably derived from Late Latin polyglottus, from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos): see above.

Meanings

1. Of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages; multilingual.
   • '[T]is thought the two and twenty Languages which Mythrydates the great Polyglot King of Pontus did ſpeak, wer all within the circumference of Anatolia in regard his dominions extended but a little further: […] 1630 August 3 (Gregorian calendar), James Howell, “LVIII. To the Right Hon. the E. R.”, in [Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ.] A New Volume of Familiar Letters, […], 3rd edition, volume II, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], published 1655, →OCLC, section, page 77:
   • For this flyaway son of a Phœnician did not seem to wait for the decision of the polyglot Judges of the Emigration Board. 1910 January 12, Ameen Rihani, “On the Wharf of Enchantment”, in The Book of Khalid, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead and Company, published October 1911, →OCLC, book the first (In the Exchange), page 38:
   • Esperanto is never a speaker’s only language but has to compete with their (usually stronger) other languages. As Esperanto speakers are more polyglot than average[…], this competition is even stronger. 2022, Sabine Fiedler, Cyril Robert Brosch, “Esperanto and language change” (chapter 25), in Esperanto – Lingua Franca and Language Community, John Benjamins Publishing Company, →DOI, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, page 327:
2. Containing, or made up of, several languages; specifically, of a book (especially a bible): having text translated into several languages.
   • a polyglot bible    a polyglot lexicon
3. Comprising various (native) linguistic groups; multilingual.
   • Even in Switzerland, one of the most polyglot of nations, no more than 10 percent of the people are capable of writing a simple letter in English. 1990, Bill Bryson, “English as a World Language”, in the Mother Tongue:
   • A polyglot region without a clearly dominant culture may develop an artificial lingua franca, such as Pidgin English in the South Sea.

Forms

Deriveds

polyglottery · polyglotwise · polyglotism · polyglottism · polyglottic · hyperpolyglot · polyglotted · polyglottology · polyglottal

Relateds

diglossically · multilingual · parallel text · diglossic · triglossia · polyglossy · trilingual · monolingual · diglossia · polyglossic · triglossic · polyglossia · bilingual · monoglottism · diglottism

Synonyms

polyglottish · polyglottal · polyglottic · polylingual · polyglotted · polyglossic · polyglottic

Translations (96)

es políglota (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · tr çokdilli (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ka მრავალენოვანი (containing, or made up of, several languages) · pl wielojęzyczny (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hu soknyelvű (containing, or made up of, several languages) · el πολύγλωσσος (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · bg многоези́чен (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · de vielsprachig (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · es polígloto (containing, or made up of, several languages) · el πολύγλωσσος (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · nl polyglottisch (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · pl kilkujęzykowy (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ru многоязы́чный (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ca poliglot (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · da flersproget (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · es poliglota (containing, or made up of, several languages) · ia polyglotte (containing, or made up of, several languages) · pt poliglota (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fo fleirmæltur (containing, or made up of, several languages) · es poligloto (containing, or made up of, several languages) · fa چند زبانه (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ka პოლიგლოტი (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · pl poliglotyczny (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hi बहुभाषी (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · cmn 多語 /多语 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · pl różnojęzyczny (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sv flerspråkig (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sk mnohojazyčný (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ia polyglotto (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hu soknyelvű (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · cs mnohojazyčný (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · yi בעל־לשון (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · es políglota (containing, or made up of, several languages) · uk багатомо́вний (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · be шматмо́ўны (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · eo plurlingvfamilia (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · tr çokdil (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · ko 다중언어 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · mk повеќеја́зичен (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fr polyglotte (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · cs vícejazyčný (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sh višejezičan (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · es polígloto (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · de mehrsprachig (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ia polyglotte (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · hu soknyelvű (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · yue 多種語言 /多种语言 (containing, or made up of, several languages) · fr plurilingue (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ja 多言語 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · nb flerspråklig (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hu többnyelvű (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · nl veeltalig (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · pl różnojęzykowy (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · pl kilkujęzyczny (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · it poliglotta (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sv polyglott (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sv polyglott (containing, or made up of, several languages) · sl večjezičen (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · it poliglotta (containing, or made up of, several languages) · de polyglott (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · nl meertalig (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · nl meertalig (containing, or made up of, several languages) · de mehrsprachig (containing, or made up of, several languages) · pl wielojęzykowy (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · pt multilíngue (containing, or made up of, several languages) · be мнагамо́ўны (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fo fleirmæltur (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · nl polyglot (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · nl polyglottisch (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fr polyglotte (containing, or made up of, several languages) · nn fleirspråkleg (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · is fjöltyngdur (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fi monikielinen (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · fi monikielinen (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hu többnyelvű (containing, or made up of, several languages) · yue 多種語言 /多种语言 (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · eo plurlingvgrupa (comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual) · cmn 多種語言 /多种语言 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · gv yl-çhengagh (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · el πολύγλωσσος (containing, or made up of, several languages) · nl polyglottisch (containing, or made up of, several languages) · yi עטלעך־שפּראַכיק (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · eo plurlingva (containing, or made up of, several languages) · tr çokdilli (containing, or made up of, several languages) · yue 講多種語言 /讲多种语言 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · es poliglota m or f= (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · fi monikielinen (containing, or made up of, several languages) · de polyglott (containing, or made up of, several languages) · fr multilingue (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ca poliglot (containing, or made up of, several languages) · es poligloto (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · sh вишејезичан (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · ko 다국어 (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · hu poliglott (of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual) · gv yl-çhengagh (containing, or made up of, several languages) · sv flerspråkig (containing, or made up of, several languages)

wikipedia: Book of Genesis · wikipedia: Targum Onkelos · wikipedia: Complutensian Polyglot Bible

polyglot en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Texas) audio
• /ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/ (General-American, dialectal) of CA
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ (Australia)
• /ˈpɔlɪɡlɔt/ (Australia)
• /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ (Canada, Received-Pronunciation, dialectal) of the US

Etymology

PIE word *glōgʰs Borrowed from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), alternative form of Ancient Greek πολῠ́γλωσσος (polŭ́glōssos, “speaking many languages, multilingual”), from πολῠ́ς (polŭ́s, “a lot of, many”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- (“to fill”)) + Attic Greek γλῶττα (glôtta), Ancient Greek γλῶσσᾰ (glôssă, “tongue; language”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *glōgʰs (“tip of corn”)) + -ος (-os, suffix forming o-grade action nouns). The English word is analysable as poly- + -glot. Noun sense 1 (“publication in several languages”) is probably derived from Late Latin polyglottus, from Attic Greek πολύγλωττος (polúglōttos): see above.

Meanings

1. A publication in several languages; specifically, a book (especially a bible) containing several versions of the same subject matter or text in several languages.
   • [T]hose coming to the warehouses' doors fired them, and burned all the books and the pillars of the church, […] A great want thereof there will be of books, specially Latin books and foreign books; and, among others, the Polyglottes and new Bible, which he believes will be presently worth £40 a-piece. 1666 October 14 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Samuel Pepys, Mynors Bright, transcriber, “October 5th, 1666”, in Henry B[enjamin] Wheatley, editor, The Diary of Samuel Pepys […], volume VI, London: George Bell & Sons […]; Cambridge: Deighton Bell & Co., published 1895, →OCLC, page 7:
   • But ſince that period the biblical apparatus has been much enriched by the publication of polyglots; […] 1792, William Newcome, “Arguments Shewing that an Improved Version of the Bible is Expedient”, in An Historical View of the English Biblical Translations: The Expediency of Revising by Authority our Present Translation: And the Means of Executing Such a Revision, Dublin: […] John Exshaw, →OCLC, page 239:
2. (also, figuratively) One who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages.
   • Laſtly, a polyg[l]ot or good linguiſt may alſo be term'd a uſefull learned man, ſpecially if vers'd in School-languages. c. 1646–1647, James Howell, “VIII. To the Right Honourable My Lord of D.”, in [Epistolæ Ho-Elianæ.] A Third Volume of Familiar Letters of a Fresher Date. […], 3rd edition, volume III, London: […] Humphrey Mos[e]ley, […], published 1655, →OCLC, section, page 15:
3. (also, figuratively) A mixture of languages or nomenclatures.
4. A file that can be interpreted validly as multiple formats.
   • If you are interested in polyglot file formats, take a look at the polyglot web page in the Corkami wiki. There are various example polyglots, including a PDF file that is also a valid HTML file with JavaScript, as well as a valid Windows PE executable. 2015, Joxean Koret, Elias Bachaalany, “Evading Scanners”, in The Antivirus Hacker’s Handbook, Indianapolis, Ind.: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, part II (Antivirus Software Evasion), page 148:
5. A program written to be valid in multiple programming languages.
6. (obsolete) A bird able to imitate the sounds of other birds.

Forms

Deriveds

hyperpolyglot

Synonyms

polyglotter · multilinguist · polyglottist · polylinguist

Translations (85)

he רב־לשוני (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ka პოლიგლოტი (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · nl polyglot (publication in several languages) · eo plurlingvano (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · nl polyglotte (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ro poliglotă (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · nl talenkenner (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · es polígloto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · id multibahasawan (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ru полигло́тта (publication in several languages) · it poliglotta (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fi kielitaituri (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ar مَزِيج مِن اللُّغَات (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fa چندزبانه (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · gd ioma-chànanach (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · de Polyglotte (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · pl poliglota (publication in several languages) · bg полигло́т (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · pl poliglota (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ca poliglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · el πολύγλωσσος (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ta பன்மொழியாளர் (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sh polìglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ja ポリグロット (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · lt poliglotas (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · es poliglota (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · hi भाषाविद् (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · de Polyglotter (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · os полиглот (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · vo hipolüglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · lv poliglots (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · lv poliglote (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · hy պոլիգլոտ (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · es políglota (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · el πολύγλωσσος (publication in several languages) · nl polyglotte (publication in several languages) · pt poliglota (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · mk полигло́т (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · vo polüglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · io poliglotulo (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sh višejezičnik (publication in several languages) · it poliglotto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · et polüglott (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · cmn 多語者 /多语者 (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · hu poliglott (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fi polyglotti (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · cs polyglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sq poliglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · nl meertalige (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · cmn 通數國語文的人 /通数国语文的人 (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · he פּוֹלִיגְלוֹט (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · eo plurlingvulo (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · be палігло́т (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ky полиглот (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · id poliglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fo fleirmælingur (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · pl poliglotka (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · cmn 通曉數種語言的人 /通晓数种语言的人 (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · hu többnyelvű/soknyelvű (ember) (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ro poliglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · io poliglotino (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fa متکلم به چند زبان (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · kk полиглот (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · lt poliglotė (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ar بُولِيجْلُوت (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · eo poligloto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · nl veeltalige (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · vo jipolüglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sl poliglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sh полѝглот (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · el γλωσσομαθής (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · sk polyglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · de Polyglotte (publication in several languages) · uk полігло́т (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ia polyglotto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · yi פּאָליגלאָט (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ru полигло́т (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · ca poliglota (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fr polyglotte (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · io poligloto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · fr polyglotte (publication in several languages) · nl polyglot (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · cs polyglota (publication in several languages) · ja 多言語話者 (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages) · es poligloto (one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages)

wikipedia: Book of Genesis · wikipedia: Targum Onkelos · wikipedia: Complutensian Polyglot Bible