English
poly-
Poly- comes from Ancient Greek πολύς ‘many, much’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘to fill’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*polh₁ús‘much, many’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπολύςpolús‘many, much’
- Englishtodaypoly-
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleh₁-‘to fill’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*polh₁ús‘much, many’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπολύςpolús‘many, much’
- Englishtodaypoly-
The story
Unrelated to -poly.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’
people, public, full, complete, plus, popular, plenty, fill, supply, plain, completion, implement, accomplish, supplement, folk, manipulation, comply, complement, ample, plural, amplitude, plethora, amplify, depletion, plenary, replenish, replete, puri, plenum, deplete, plebs, plebeian, volk, fulsome, 75 more
through Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús ‘much, many’
Today it means
prefix many
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- / poly-