'polynucleate' originates as a modern scientific formation combining the prefix 'poly-' from Greek and the adjective/verb 'nucleate' from Latin-rooted 'nucleus'. 'poly-' meant 'many' in Greek, and 'nucleus' meant 'kernel' (Latin).

'nucleate' comes from Latin 'nucleus' (kernel), passed into Neo-Latin and scientific English as 'nucleate' meaning 'to furnish with or form a nucleus'; 'poly-' is from Greek 'polys' meaning 'many'. These were combined in modern scientific usage to form 'polynucleate'.

Initially, 'nucleate' referred to having or forming a nucleus; when combined with 'poly-' the compound came to mean 'having many nuclei' in biological and materials-science contexts.