Polygamizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

  1. To engage in the practice of having multiple spouses simultaneously ; to legally or socially enter into multiple marriage relationships at once ; to adopt or uphold a system permitting more than one spouse simultaneously
  2. To participate in a marital arrangement involving several partners united at the same time ; to legally or traditionally contract multiple concurrent marriages ; to embrace or practice a form of marriage with multiple spouses simultaneously
  3. To undertake plural matrimonial unions where more than one spouse is maintained concurrently ; to follow customs or laws allowing multiple simultaneous marital bonds ; to be involved in the state of having more than one partner in marriage at the same time

Etymology: The verb arises from the noun "polygamy," which denotes the practice or condition of having more than one spouse simultaneously. This noun itself entered English in the early 17th century, borrowed from French "polygamie," and ultimately traces back to the Greek roots "poly-" meaning "many" and "gamos" meaning "marriage." Together, these roots literally combine to signify "many marriages." Adding the verbal suffix "-ize" to "polygamy" forms a verb that means to engage in or practice polygamy. The suffix "-ize" is of Greek origin as well, often used in English to turn nouns or adjectives into verbs expressing the action of causing or becoming. The "-izes" ending here signals the third person singular present tense in English conjugation. Although the base concept is ancient and cross-cultural, the verbal form is a more modern English development, reflecting the language's tendency to create verbs from nouns for describing behaviors or processes related to those nouns. It would be used in contexts discussing the act or process of entering into multiple marriages or adopting a polygamous lifestyle. This verb form is more specialized and less common than the noun; it might appear in anthropological, legal, or sociological discussions rather than everyday conversation. It demonstrates how English readily adapts classical roots and affixes to create precise terms for complex social phenomena.

Synonyms: marries multiple, multimarries

Antonyms: monogamizes