polytropic

The story

1. German · derived frompolytrop
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromπολύτροπος
3. English todaypolytropic

From Ancient Greek πολύτροπος (polútropos) (used in Homer to describe Odysseus) + -ic. In later senses after German polytrop, polytropisch.

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. Able to take various courses of action; resourceful, versatile, adaptable.
• 19th c. Having many values.
• from 19th c. Of bees or other insects: visiting a wide circle of flowers, visiting the flowers of many different species.
• from 20th c. Pertaining to the constraint that variance in pressure or volume leaves heat constant; or (more generally) the constraint that any change in the thermodynamic properties leave a specific property constant.