Where does “polytheistic” come from?

Polytheistic comes from English theistic combined with Ancient Greek πολύς (polys, "many"), which derives from Proto-Indo-European polh₁ús, itself from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁-.

polytheistic (English): Of or relating to polytheism

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to polytheism

Ancestry of “polytheistic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishpoly-many; polymer
2Ancient Greekπολύςmany, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as...
3Ancient Greekπόροςa means of passage, passageway, way, opening;...
4Ancient GreekπείρωI pierce, run through; I cleave through
5Proto-Hellenic*péryō—

Words derived from “polytheistic”

Every word from Proto-Hellenic *péryō →Every word from English poly- →Every word from Ancient Greek πείρω →