poly
poly — noun
1. a British informal word for a polytechnic, an older higher-education institution
a British informal word for a polytechnic, an older higher-education institution that often later became a university.
After school, Ben chose a poly in Leeds to study engineering.
go to a poly: informal name for the institution
My mother still calls her old Glasgow college a poly.
At the open day, Maya compared two local polys before choosing one.
In the 1980s, several polys offered strong training in computing.
- polytechnic
the full historical name; better in careful or formal writing
- college
broader word that can mean many kinds of higher-education institution
- university
many former polys later gained this status, but the words are not always historically identical
文法句型
go to a poly
study at a poly
old poly
用法筆記
Mostly British and often historical. Older speakers may still say 'poly' when talking about institutions that are now universities.
常見錯誤
2. a person who is romantically or sexually involved with more than one person rath
a person who is romantically or sexually involved with more than one person rather than only one; a short form of polyamorous person.
On her profile, Nina described herself as a poly and wrote about dating openly.
describe yourself as a poly
At the meetup, two polys spoke about setting clear rules.
plural form: polys
Marcus learned the term when his cousin said she was a poly.
The podcast invited a poly from Tainan to discuss honest communication.
- polyamorous person
full form with the same meaning
- non-monogamous person
broader term that can include other relationship styles too
- polyamorist
rarer and more bookish than everyday 'poly'
- monogamous person
person who has one romantic or sexual partner at a time
文法句型
be a poly
be poly
two polys
用法筆記
Common in casual talk and online community spaces. As a noun, it names a person; the adjective use appears in adjective/1.
常見錯誤
poly — prefix
1. added to the beginning of a word to show the idea of many or much.
added to the beginning of a word to show the idea of many or much.
In class, Ms. Lin said poly- in polygon carries the idea of many.
poly- in [word]: meaning many
Mr. Chen said poly- in polygamy means more than one partner.
In art class, the teacher said poly- in polychrome means many colors.
On Friday's quiz, Sam matched poly- with the meaning many.
文法句型
poly- + root
poly- in [word]
用法筆記
Useful when explaining word parts in general. Distinguish from combining form/1, which is more often used for technical compounds and repeated units.
常見錯誤
poly — adjective
1. having or describing romantic or sexual relationships with more than one person
having or describing romantic or sexual relationships with more than one person at the same time; a short form of polyamorous.
Jade told her sister that she is poly and wants honesty.
be poly: everyday predicate use
The show follows three poly adults sharing one house in Taipei.
poly + plural noun
After months of talks, Owen said his marriage was now poly.
At NTU, the student center shared a guide for students in poly relationships.
- polyamorous
the full form with the same meaning
- non-monogamous
broader term that can include other kinds of open relationships
- open
often describes a relationship that allows other partners, but it is less exact than 'poly'
- monogamous
having one romantic or sexual partner at a time
文法句型
be poly
poly relationship
poly people
用法筆記
Mainly used in casual speech, online profiles, and community talk. In formal writing, the full form 'polyamorous' is usually clearer.
常見錯誤
poly — combining form
1. joined to another word part to show many or several, often meaning more than one
joined to another word part to show many or several, often meaning more than one unit in science words.
In chemistry class, Ms. Wu said poly- in polyatomic means many atoms.
poly- in scientific word: more than one unit
The lab sheet explained that poly- in polymer means many linked units.
In biology, Mr. Ho said poly- in polyploid means several sets of chromosomes.
In chemistry notes, Mina used mono- and poly- for molecules with one unit or several.
- multi-
a common parallel form, though not every scientific compound can switch between them
- mono-
shows one unit rather than several
文法句型
poly- + technical base
poly- in [scientific word]
用法筆記
More technical than prefix/1. It often appears inside science words where the idea is repeated parts, multiple atoms, or more than one linked unit.