polyandrous

[ pol-ee-an-druhs ]

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characterized by, or practicing polyandry; polyandric.
2. Botany. having an indefinite number of stamens.

polyandrous

/ pŏl′ē-ăn′drəs /

1. Relating to a species of animals in which the females mate with more than one male in a single breeding season.
2. Relating to an angiosperm plant that has an indefinite number of stamens in its flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyandrous¹

First recorded in 1820–30, polyandrous is from the Greek word polyándros having many husbands. See poly-, -androus

Example Sentences

Female chimps and bonobos, on the other hand, are decidedly polyandrous.

From Salon

The participants in Prof Machoko's study all lived separately but were committed to the polyandrous union and were open about it among themselves.

From BBC

And scientists suspect that, like their polyandrous cousins, female kalutas are capable of internally stockpiling sperm for up to two weeks before fertilization.

From New York Times

And in both studies human semenogelin genes lie closest to chimpanzees and bonobos, suggesting that our common ancestors were polyandrous females and sperm competing males.

From Scientific American

Trees or shrubs, with naked buds and no stipules, a calyx of 3 sepals, and a corolla of 6 petals in two rows, valvate in the bud, hypogynous, polyandrous.—Petals thickish.

From Project Gutenberg