polyandry

[ pol-ee-an-dree, pol-ee-an- ]

noun

1. the practice or condition of having more than one husband at one time. Compare monandry ( def 1 ).
2. (among female animals) the habit or system of having two or more mates, either simultaneously or successively.
3. Botany. the state of being polyandrous.

polyandry

/ ˈpɒlɪˌændrɪ /

noun

1. the practice or condition of being married to more than one husband at the same time Compare polygamy
2. the practice in animals of a female mating with more than one male during one breeding season
3. the condition in flowers of having a large indefinite number of stamens

polyandry

1. A practice in which women have two or more husbands at the same time. A rare form of polygamy , polyandry is practiced by only a few cultures . ( Compare monogamy .)

Derived Forms

• ˌpolyˈandrous, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyandry¹

From the Greek word polyandría, dating back to 1770–80. See poly-, -andry

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyandry¹

C18: from Greek poluandria, from poly- + -andria from anēr man

Example Sentences

For humans, even the thought of polyandry can jack up a man's sperm quality.

From Salon

Some modern scholars consider Darwin's failure to recognize polyandry as the wrench jamming up the works of evolution to be one of his biggest oversights.

From Salon

Considering all of that, might turning the knob way up on polyandry as a real or imagined stimulus rocket launch the get-up-and-go of any given man's sperm?

From Salon

Adult relationships vary in form across societies and include not only the type most common around the world today — heterosexual monogamy — but also same-sex marriage, nonmarital unions, polyamory, polygyny and polyandry.

From Washington Post

While the tomb reveals evidence of polygyny - men having children with multiple women - it also shows that polyandry was also widespread: women having children with multiple men.

From BBC