Polyandry is a form of polygamy where a woman takes two or more husbands at the same time.
The term originates from Greek roots: 'poly' meaning 'many' and 'andry' meaning 'men'.
This correctly matches the definition provided in the option: a marriage joining one female with more than one male.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
Option B: This describes polygyny, not polyandry. Polygyny is the form of marriage where one man is joined with more than one female.
Option C: This describes monogamy, which is a marriage between only two people, one female and one male.
Option D: This is not a standard definition of a marriage type. While marrying within a certain group (endogamy) is a sociological concept, it is not defined by blood groups in this context. This option is irrelevant to the term 'polyandry'.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Polyandry as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a direct clinical concept, understanding a patient's family structure and social background is a key component of holistic nursing care.
Knowledge of sociological terms like polyandry is part of the general knowledge section in some nursing entrance examinations.
A patient's marital status and family dynamics can influence decisions about care, consent, and support systems.
How to Approach the Question
First, identify the key term in the question, which is 'Polyandry'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of sociological vocabulary.
Break down the word into its etymological roots if you know them: 'Poly-' means 'many' and '-andry' relates to 'men'. This translates to 'many men'.
Evaluate each option against this definition.
Option A (one female, more than one male) directly matches the meaning of 'many men'.
Eliminate the other options: Option B is 'polygyny', Option C is 'monogamy', and Option D is an incorrect and unrelated concept.
Concept Tested & Keywords
Concept Tested: Definition of Polyandry
Stem keywords: Polyandry, marriage
Lead-in keywords: means
Question ID
QPDMzPcTvLS5rjYB4EaelP
Reference Book
E6 Applied Sociology for Nurses TK Indrani pp. 160-162, 161-163
Practise the full AIIMS Patna NO - 2020
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.