Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman who has two or more husbands at the same time: A "polyandrist" is a woman who practices polyandry, a form of marriage in which a woman is married to more than one husband simultaneously.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • In some Himalayan cultures, a polyandrist might marry a set of brothers to keep family land intact.
  • The anthropologist studied the life of a polyandrist in the remote community.

Advanced Usage

• The term is specific and anthropological. It is often used in academic discussions about marriage systems, kinship, and cultural practices, rather than in everyday conversation.
• It functions as the female counterpart to "polygamist" (which is often assumed male) or more specifically, to "polygynist" (a man with multiple wives).

Variants and Related Words

• Polyandry (n): The practice or condition of having more than one husband at the same time.
  • Polyandry is less common globally than polygyny.
• Polyandrous (adj): Characterized by or relating to polyandry.
  • They lived in a polyandrous household.

Synonyms

• Practitioner of polyandry: A more descriptive phrase with the same meaning.

Notes on Meaning

• The term is neutral and descriptive within anthropology and sociology. It does not inherently carry a positive or negative judgment.
• It refers specifically to a marital structure, not to informal or non-marital relationships.

Noun

1. a woman with two or more husbands