An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A prefix denoting "much, many."

From Gk. poly-, combining form of polus "much," cognate with L. plus, Pers. bol-, as below; from PIE base *pel- "to be full."

Bol- "much; very; many," as in examples bolkâmé "desirous" (literally "with much desire"), bolhavas, variant porhavas "very desirous, libidinous" (literally "with much lust"); variant of por "full, much, very," Mid.Pers. purr "full;" O.Pers. paru- "much, many;" Av. parav-, pauru-, pouru- "full, much, many," from par- "to fill;" PIE base *pelu- "full," from *pel- "to be full;" cf. Skt. puru- "much, abundant;" Gk. plethos "great number, multitude;" O.E. full.
Cand-, from cand "how many, how much; so many; several; some; much;" Mid.Pers. cand "how many?, so many; much; some;" O.Pers. yāvā "as long as;" Av. yauuant- [adj.] "how great?, how much?, how many?," yauuat [adv.] "as much as, as far as;" cf. Skt. yāvant- "how big, how much;" Gk. heos "as long as, until."