polychromatic

adjective

poly·​chro·​mat·​ic ˌpä-lē-krō-ˈma-tik How to pronounce polychromatic (audio)
1
: showing a variety or a change of colors : multicolored
2
: being or relating to radiation that is composed of more than one wavelength

Examples of polychromatic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The backbone exponent is strikingly different from its polychromatic cousins. Quanta Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 In all, Saturday probably offered a glittering glimpse of a fall day out of legend and memory, of long-ago football games and sunlit excursions on roads and trails embellished by the fiercely polychromatic hues of tree after roadside tree. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 19 Nov. 2023 In the middle, like some scar or deformity, lies a jagged expanse of civilization, garish polychromatic swaths of development blending into one another with only jutting casino high-rises and the slash of Highway 50 serving as compass points. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 So, despite obvious monochromatic aspects, the day in Washington also asserted a sort of polychromatic nature. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2023 Gonzalez features his polychromatic and stucco textured depiction of L.A.’s advertorial landscape on a cotton sweater, canvas workwear jacket and pants. The Editors, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023 Leaf peepers can hike, mountain bike, or ride on horseback through the polychromatic forest and stay at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa, which offers special fall tours by car, boat, or zip line. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2023 Designed by John Simpson and opened by the Queen during her Golden Jubilee in 2002, the new gallery, housing part of the Royal Collection held in trust for her successors and the nation, featured a chaste Greek Doric entrance fronting polychromatic galleries. Jonathan Glancey, CNN, 17 Sep. 2022 Along with elaborate ornamental stonework, all but the lower four floors of the Woolworth Building feature a terra-cotta facade that from a distance reads as limestone, but upon closer inspection is a polychromatic scheme of vibrant blue, green and golden yellow glazes. New York Times, 7 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polychromatic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

poly- + chromatic entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of polychromatic was circa 1841

Dictionary Entries Near polychromatic

Cite this Entry

“Polychromatic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polychromatic. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

polychromatic

adjective
poly·​chro·​mat·​ic ˌpäl-i-krō-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce polychromatic (audio)
: showing a variety or change of colors : multicolored

Medical Definition

polychromatic

adjective
poly·​chro·​mat·​ic -krō-ˈmat-ik How to pronounce polychromatic (audio)
1
: showing a variety or a change of colors
2
of a cell or tissue : exhibiting polychromatophilia
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