polycentric

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁-der.

Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús

Ancient Greek πολῠ́ς (polŭ́s)lbor.

English poly-

Proto-Indo-European *ḱen-?

Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr

Proto-Indo-European *-om

Proto-Indo-European *-trom

Proto-Indo-European *ḱéntrom

Proto-Hellenic *kéntron

Ancient Greek κέντρον (kéntron)

Proto-Indo-European *-kos

Proto-Hellenic *-kos

Ancient Greek -κός (-kós)

Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós)

Ancient Greek κεντρικός (kentrikós)der.

English -centric

English polycentric

From poly- + -centric.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

polycentric (comparative more polycentric, superlative most polycentric)

1. Having many centres, especially centres of authority or control
   • 1988, Robert Jackall, “Chapter 1: Moral Probations, Old and New”, in Moral Mazes: The World of Corporate Managers, Twentieth Anniversary edition, →ISBN, page 13:

     When applied to other persons, the idea of comfort is an intuitive measure of trustworthiness, reliability, and predictability in a polycentric world that managers often find troubling, ambiguous, and anxiety-laden.

2. (genetics) (of a chromosome, etc) Having multiple central parts
3. (mycology) Of zoosporic fungus-like organisms in which a single zoospore may give rise to multiple reproductive structures or sporangia

Derived terms

• metapolycentric
• polycentrically

Related terms

• polycentrism

Noun

polycentric (plural polycentrics)

1. (genetics) A chromosome, etc. having multiple central parts.