Meanings
comparative more polyphonic · superlative most polyphonic
- Of or relating to polyphony.
a polyphonic ringtone
- entertainmentHaving two or more independent but harmonic melodies.
Near-synonym: contrapuntal
Synonyms: contrapuntal
- Capable of being read in more than one way.
Synonyms: polyphonal, polyphonous
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveHaving two or more independent but harmonic melodies.
adjectiveCapable of being read in more than one way.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveof or relating to or characterized by polyphony
adjectivehaving two or more independent but harmonically related melodic parts sounding together
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Originally from Ancient Greek πολύφωνος (polúphōnos) + -ic. In later use from poly- + -phonic.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian полифоничен, многогласен
- полифоничен (polifoničen)of or relating to polyphony
- многогласен (mnogoglasen)of or relating to polyphony
Catalan polifònic, polifònic
- polifònicof or relating to polyphony
- polifònichaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
Chinese Mandarin 多声部
- 多声部of or relating to polyphony
Dutch polyfoon
- polyfoonof or relating to polyphony
Finnish moniääninen, polyfoninen
- moniääninenof or relating to polyphony
- polyfoninenof or relating to polyphony
- moniääninenhaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
- polyfoninenhaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
- moniääninenable to play more than one musical note at the same time
- monimerkityksinencapable of being read in more than one way
French polyphonique, polyphonique
- polyphoniqueof or relating to polyphony
- polyphoniquehaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
German polyphon, polyfon
- polyphonof or relating to polyphony
- polyfonof or relating to polyphony
Greek πολυφωνικός
- πολυφωνικός (polyfonikós)having two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
Italian polifonico, polifonico
- polifonicoof or relating to polyphony
- polifonicohaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
Persian چندصدایی
- چندصدایی (čandsedayi)of or relating to polyphony
Polish polifoniczny, wielogłosowy
- polifonicznyof or relating to polyphony
- wielogłosowyhaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
- polifonicznyhaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
Portuguese polifônico
- polifônicoof or relating to polyphony
Russian полифонический
- полифонический (polifoničeskij)of or relating to polyphony
Spanish polifónico, polifónico
- polifónicoof or relating to polyphony
- polifónicohaving two or more melodies — see also contrapuntal
Turkish polifonik
- polifonikof or relating to polyphony
Cite this entry
polyphonic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphonic
“polyphonic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphonic. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polyphonic,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polyphonic.
Source: polyphonic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.