polygamist
(pəˈlɪgəmɪst)
[f. late Gr. πολύγαµος (see polygamic) + -ist.]
One who practises or favours polygamy; usually, a man who has several wives: cf. polygamous 1.
| 1637 G. Daniel Genius this Isle 245 A Profane, Profuse, Proud Polygamist. 1662 Hibbert Body Div. i. 271 The first author of polygamy..was Lamech..as was also Esau another polygamist. 1861 Times 21 Aug., In order to distinguish the wives of a polygamist from each other, the Christian name of each is prefixed to the husband's name; as, for instance, Mrs. Anna Young, Mrs. Mary Young, &c. 1886 P. Robinson Valley Teet Trees 84 The sparrow is accused as being ‘a bird of bad habits and of infamous character..a communist and a polygamist’. |
b. attrib. Practising polygamy, polygamous.
| 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) III. 163 Polygamist peoples either import and adopt children from other countries, or dwindle in numbers. 1886 Pall Mall G. 5 Oct. 3/2 That it was a greater evil to dissolve bonâ fide marriages..than to refuse baptism to polygamist husbands and their wives. |
Hence polygaˈmistic a., of or pertaining to polygamists or polygamy; favouring polygamy.
| 1875 Poste Gaius iv. Comm. (ed. 2) 545 A monogamist forum will not enforce polygamistic laws. 1885 Chicago Advance 12 Feb., What reply do the polygamistic Mormons make to the non-polygamistic Josephites? |