poly

UK: /ˈpɒli/ US: (pol′ē)

Inflections of 'poly' (n): npl: polies

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

pol•y  (pol′ē), n., pl. pol•ies, adj. 
n. 

1. Informal Terms polyester (def. 2):
   a blend of poly and cotton.
2. Clothing a fabric or garment made of polyester.

adj. 

3. Textiles made of or containing polyester:
   a poly swimsuit.

• by shortening

poly-, 

1. a combining form with the meanings "much, many'' and, in chemistry, "polymeric,'' used in the formation of compound words:
   polyandrous;
   polyculture;
   polyethylene.

• Greek, combining form representing polýs; akin to Old English fela many. See plus

poly., 

1. polytechnic.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

poly / ˈpɒlɪ/ noun

1. (polys)
   short for polytechnic
2. 
   short for polyester
3. 
   short for polythene
4. (as modifier): poly bags

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

poly-, prefix. 

1. poly- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "much, many'':
   polyandry (= the custom of having many husbands);
   polyglot (
   = speaking many languages).

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

poly- combining_form

1. more than one; many or much: polyhedron
2. having an excessive or abnormal number or amount

Etymology: from Greek polus much, many; related to Old English fela many