Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Variety or multiplicity of names for the same object. Specifically
  • noun In zoology, same as polynomialism.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The use of many names for the same thing or person.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek πολύς (polus, "many, much") and ὄνομα (onoma, "name").

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Examples

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Comments

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  • Use of many names for same thing; use of polynomial term or name.

    May 16, 2008

  • Contrast with polysemy, which is one word for many things.

    May 16, 2008

  • Great word! Seems to me polyonymy has several aspects: it includes words for the same thing in different languages (cat, chat, gato, gatto, 猫); names referring to different aspects of the same thing (Venus, morning star, evening star); nicknames (Elvis the Pelvis, The King, The Memphis Flash); and allonyms, different words for the same thing in the same language (Caribbean English: eggplant, antrover, aubergine, baigan... allonym for details'>see allonym for details. It does not include synonyms that refer to different but similar things (automobile, sedan, jalopy).

    May 16, 2008