Word of the Day : March 28, 2019

polyglot \PAH-lee-glaht\ adjective

Definition

1 a : speaking or writing several languages : multilingual

b : composed of numerous linguistic groups 

2 : containing matter in several languages 

3 : composed of elements from different languages

4 : widely diverse (as in ethnic or cultural origins)

Did You Know?

You've probably run across the prefix poly- before—it comes from Greek and means "many" or "multi-." But what about -glot? That part of the word comes from the Greek term glōtta, meaning "language" or "tongue." (Glōtta is also the source of glottis, the word for the space between the vocal cords.) Polyglot itself entered English in the 17th century, both as an adjective and as a noun meaning "one who can write or speak several languages." You could call the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V a polyglot. He claimed that he addressed his horse only in German, he conversed with women in Italian and with men in French, but reserved Spanish for his talks with God.

Aired March 28, 2019

All Merriam-Webster content is available at www.merriam-webster.com