Polonius

noun

Po·​lo·​ni·​us pə-ˈlō-nē-əs How to pronounce Polonius (audio)
: a garrulous courtier and father of Ophelia and Laertes in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Examples of Polonius in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Act 2, there are five characters interacting quite quickly with Polonius coming in and Laertes coming in. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026 In the drama, Ophelia is a young noblewoman of Denmark, the daughter of Polonius, who falls in love with Prince Hamlet. — Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025 Joe Alwyn stars as Laertes and Morfydd Clark is Ophelia, while Timothy Spall and Sheeba Chaddha feature as Polonius and Gertrude, respectively. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025 The film, which premiered at TIFF in August, also stars Morfydd Clark as Ophelia, Joe Alwyn as Laertes and Timothy Spall as Polonius. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Polonius

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Polonius was circa 1601

Rhymes for Polonius

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Browse Nearby Words

polonium
Polonius
polonization
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Cite this Entry

“Polonius.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Polonius. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Polonius

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Polonius

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