polyoicous

adjective

poly·​oi·​cous
variants or polyoecious
¦⸗⸗¦ēshəs
or less commonly polyecious
¦⸗⸗¦ēshəs
: having the archegonia and antheridia sometimes on the same plant and sometimes on different plants
polyoicous mosses
polyoicous liverworts
compare heteroicous, paroicous
polyoicously adverb
or polyoeciously
polyoicousness noun
or polyoeciousness
plural -es

Word History

Etymology

poly- + Greek oikia house + English -ous

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Dictionary Entries Near polyoicous

Cite this Entry

“Polyoicous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polyoicous. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!