polyglot
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polyglot
- /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ Canada, UK, dialectal
- /ˈpɑlɪˌɡlɑt/ US, dialectal
- /ˈpɔlɪɡlɔt/ Australia
- /ˈpɒlɪɡlɒt/ Australia
Where it comes from
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.
noun polyglots · polyglott
- 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-piec
-
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.
Similar: multilinguist, polyglotter, polyglottist, polylinguist
- A mixture of languages or nomenclatures.
- 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.
- A program written to be valid in multiple programming languages.
- A bird able to imitate the sounds of other birds.
adjective more polyglot · most polyglot · polyglott
-
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: […]
Similar: polyglotted, polyglottic, polylingual
-
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
Similar: polyglossic, polyglottal, polyglottic, polyglottish
- Comprising various (native) linguistic groups; multilingual. A polyglot region without a clearly dominant culture may develop an artificial lingua franca, such as Pidgin English in the South Sea.
Translations
Every language
noun publication in several languages
| Français | polyglotte |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Polyglotte |
| Ελληνικά | πολύγλωσσος polýglossos |
| Русский | полигло́тта poliglótta |
noun one who has mastered (especially when able to speak) several languages
| Español | políglota, poliglota, polígloto, poligloto |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | ポリグロット porigurotto, 多言語話者 tagengo-washa |
| 中文 | 多語者 /多语者 duōyǔzhě, 通數國語文的人 /通数国语文的人 tōng shù guóyǔ wén de rén, 通曉數種語言的人 /通晓数种语言的人 tōngxiǎo shù zhǒng yǔyán de rén |
| हिन्दी | भाषाविद् bhāṣāvid |
| Português | poliglota |
| Français | polyglotte |
| Deutsch | Polyglotter, Polyglotte |
| Italiano | poliglotto, poliglotta |
| Ελληνικά | γλωσσομαθής glossomathís, πολύγλωσσος polýglossos |
| Română | poliglot, poliglotă |
| Русский | полигло́т poliglót |
| العربية | مَزِيج مِن اللُّغَات mazīj min al-luḡāt, بُولِيجْلُوت būlīglūt |
| עברית | פּוֹלִיגְלוֹט poliglot, רב־לשוני rav-leshoní |
adj of a person: speaking, or versed in, many languages — see also multilingual, plurilingual
| Español | poligloto, polígloto, políglota, poliglota m or f= |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 다중언어 dajung'eoneo, 다국어 dagugeo |
| 日本語 | 多言語 tagengo |
| 中文 | 多種語言 /多种语言 duōzhǒngyǔyán, 多語 /多语 duōyǔ |
| हिन्दी | बहुभाषी bahubhāṣī |
| Português | poliglota |
| Français | plurilingue, polyglotte, multilingue |
| Deutsch | vielsprachig, polyglott, mehrsprachig |
| Italiano | poliglotta |
| Ελληνικά | πολύγλωσσος polýglossos |
| Русский | многоязы́чный mnogojazýčnyj |
adj containing, or made up of, several languages
| Español | poligloto, polígloto, políglota, poliglota |
|---|---|
| Português | multilíngue |
| Français | polyglotte |
| Deutsch | polyglott, mehrsprachig |
| Italiano | poliglotta |
| Ελληνικά | πολύγλωσσος polýglossos |
adj comprising various (native) linguistic groups — see also multilingual
| Ελληνικά | πολύγλωσσος polýglossos |
|---|
Talk about this word "polyglot." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/polyglot. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. polyglot. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/polyglot "polyglot." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/polyglot.Cite this
@misc{polyglot_2026,
title = {polyglot},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/polyglot},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
