polyglot
polyglot Lexical Profile
polyglot Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A person who knows and is able to use several languages.
"As a seasoned polyglot, the diplomat effortlessly switched between French, Arabic, and Mandarin during the summit."
A book, especially a sacred text such as the Bible, containing the same text written in several different languages.
"The university library holds a rare sixteenth-century polyglot printed in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Aramaic."
• adjective
Knowing, using, or written in several languages.
"The historic port city has a vibrant, polyglot population drawn from across the Mediterranean."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'linguist' in formal academic settings refers to a scholar who scientifically studies the structure and history of language, 'polyglot' specifically denotes a person who can speak or use many languages fluently.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-17th century from French polyglotte, from Ancient Greek polyglōttos ('many-tongued'), combining polys ('many') and glōtta ('tongue' or 'language').