Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A name consisting of several (specifically, more than three) terms; a polynomial name in zoölogy: correlated with mononym, diouym, and trionym.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An object which has a variety of names.
  • noun A polynomial name or term.

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

  • noun An object that has a variety of names.
  • noun A polynomial name or term.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Ancient Greek

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Examples

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Comments

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  • polyonym – 1) an object which has a variety of names; 2) a polynomial name or term, like Elizabeth, Liz, Beth

    July 19, 2008

  • Polynomial refers to having a name consisting of several parts (e.g., Elizabeth Barrett Browning). The Century Dictionary seems to have confused this with polyonymy. In the example of Elizabeth, Liz, and Beth, it is the person, not the name, that exhibits polyonymy.

    July 19, 2008

  • Or maybe polynomial just isn't used much outside the field of mathematics? I'm not sure. Tried scouring the Internet for it, but didn't come across anything that could provide a definite answer. And damn! but I hate to be wrong. Thanks for correcting me on this, anyway.

    July 19, 2008

  • The mathematical references do seem to swamp out the biological ones. Try searching under "polynomial nomenclature".

    July 19, 2008

  • Well, that sure clears things up! I wouldn't have thought of using the word nomenclature in this search, but it makes sense.

    July 19, 2008