noun / adjective
polyglot
PAH-lee-glaht/pˌɑlˌiɡlɑt/
Using or involving several languages.
The polyglot staff helps visitors in several different languages.
Etymology
Literally “many-tongued,” the word uses the tongue, the organ of speech, to stand for a language. A polyglot is therefore someone who speaks or writes several languages.
In context
family who spoke malayalam tamil and english surrounded by artists from across southern india and beyond who themselves occupied what ramaswamy calls following rosie predati a nomadic consciousness of a polyglot always in between languages and homes
More examples
- The restaurant's polyglot menu includes descriptions in four languages.
- Interpreters keep the conversation flowing at this polyglot conference.
- We hear greetings in many languages on these polyglot streets.
Forms
polyglot · polyglots
Similar words
- multilingual
- The more common, neutral term for using several languages.
- bilingual
- Specifically involves two languages, rather than several or many.