polysynthetic

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˌpɑːlisɪnˈθɛtɪk/ UK /ˌpɒlɪsɪnˈθetɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
linguistics: describing a language or word structure in which single words typically contain many morphemes and can express sentence-like meanings

In the polysynthetic language, one complex verb can encode the subject, object, direction, and manner of an action.
2

adj
crystallography: showing repeated thin layers produced by multiple twinning

The feldspar displayed polysynthetic twinning as parallel bands under the microscope.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · linguistics: describing a... incorporatingholophrastic

2 adj · crystallography: showing... multiply twinnedlamellar-twinned

Opposites

isolating analytic

Word family

Derived forms polysynthetically

Related forms polysynthesismorphemeincorporationsynthetic languageagglutinative

Etymology

From Late Greek polysynthetos ("much compounded"), built from poly- ("many") + synthetos ("put together"), with English -ic. Linguistics adopted the term for languages with highly complex, many-morpheme words.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# polysynthetic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌpɑːlisɪnˈθɛtɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌpɒlɪsɪnˈθetɪk/

## Meanings
1. linguistics: describing a language or word structure in which single words typically contain many morphemes and can express sentence-like meanings
2. crystallography: showing repeated thin layers produced by multiple twinning

## Examples
- In the polysynthetic language, one complex verb can encode the subject, object, direction, and manner of an action.
- The feldspar displayed polysynthetic twinning as parallel bands under the microscope.

## Synonyms
- incorporating
- holophrastic
- multiply twinned

## Antonyms
- isolating
- analytic

## Derived Forms
- polysynthetically

## Related Forms
- polysynthesis
- morpheme
- incorporation
- synthetic language
- agglutinative

## Etymology
From Late Greek polysynthetos ("much compounded"), built from poly- ("many") + synthetos ("put together"), with English -ic. Linguistics adopted the term for languages with highly complex, many-morpheme words.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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