polygenous, a.
(pəˈlɪdʒɪnəs)
[irreg. f. Gr. πολυγεν-ής of many kinds (f. πολυ-, poly- + γένος kind) + -ous: perh. associated with words from L. such as indigenous, calcigenous, etc.]
1. Composed of constituents of different kinds; spec. in Geol. composed of various kinds of rocks.
| 1799 Kirwan Geol. Ess. 164 Some are unigenous, consisting for the greater part, at least, of one species of stone or aggregate; some polygenous, consisting of various species, alternating with, or passing into, or mixed with each other. Ibid. 226 Secondary mountains are either formed of one species of stone, or of strata of different species,..the former I call unigenous, the latter polygenous: these are commonly stratified, the former often not. |
2. Chem. = polygenic 2.
| 1870 F. Hurter in Eng. Mech. 11 Feb. 524/1 Chlorine forms only one compound with hydrogen, whilst oxygen and carbon form several compounds with that element. Chlorine may, for this reason, be called a monogenous element: the others..polygenous elements. |
3. Of, pertaining to, or involving polygeny.
| 1860 Reader 15 Sept. 796 Thus domestic pigeons may be said to be ‘monogenous’ as to their origin from one wild species, ‘polygenous’ as to the individual ancestor of each variety. |