Etimology
From Middle French policie, from Late Latin politia (“citizenship; government”), classical Latin polītīa (in Cicero), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía, “citizenship; polis, (city) state; government”), from πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”). Compare police and polity.
noun
policy (countable and uncountable, plural policies)
A principle of behaviour, conduct etc. thought to be desirable or necessary, especially as formally expressed by a government or other authoritative body. [from 15th c.]
Wise or advantageous conduct; prudence, formerly also with connotations of craftiness. [from 15th c.]
(now rare) Specifically, political shrewdness or (formerly) cunning; statecraft. [from 15th c.]
(Scotland, now chiefly in the plural) The grounds of a large country house. [from 18th c.]
(obsolete) The art of governance; political science. [14th–18th c.]
(obsolete) A state; a polity. [14th–16th c.]
(obsolete) A set political system; civil administration. [15th–19th c.]
(obsolete) A trick; a stratagem. [15th–19th c.]
(obsolete) Motive; object; inducement.
Examples
The Communist Party has a policy of returning power to the workers.
It's company policy that all mobile phones are forbidden in meetings.
[H]e [Richard I of England] was diſcovered in an inne in Auſtria, becauſe he diſguiſed his perſon not his expenſes; ſo that the very policie of an hoſteſſe, finding his purſe ſo farre above his clothes, did detect him: […]
These bitter accusations might have been suppressed, had I with greater policy concealed my struggles, and flattered you into the belief of my being impelled by unqualified, unalloyed inclination; […]
I, 'policie? that's their profession,And not simplicity, as they suggest.
Whether he believed himself a god, or only took on the attributes of divinity from motives of policy, is a question for the psychologist, since the historical evidence is indecisive.
Now and then about a gentleman’s house stands a small plantation, which in Scotch is called a policy, but of these there are few, and those few all very young.
There was but one thing happened worth narrating; and that is the visit I had of Robin Oig, one of the sons of the notorious Rob Roy. He was sought upon all sides on a charge of carrying a young woman from Balfron and marrying her by force; yet he stepped about Balquhidder like a gentleman in his own walled policy.
Next morning was so splendid that as he walked through the policies towards the mansion house despair itself was lulled.
Liſt his diſcourse of Warre; and you ſhall heare / A fearefull Battaile rendred you in Muſique. / Turne him to any Cauſe of Pollicy, / The Gordian Knot of it he will vnlooſe, / Familiar as his Garter: […]
Tis pollicie and ſtratageme must doo / That you affect, and ſo muſt you reſolue, / That what you cannot as you would atchiue, / You muſt perforce accompliſh as you may: […]
I pray you honest men, what such right have you in me, as not to suffer me to doe with my self what I list? and what pollicie have you to bestow a benefite where it is counted an injury?
verb
policy (third-person singular simple present policies, present participle policying, simple past and past participle policied)
(transitive) To regulate by laws; to reduce to order.
Examples
Policying of cities.
Etimology
From Middle French police, from Italian polizza, from Medieval Latin apodissa (“receipt for money”), from Ancient Greek ἀπόδειξις (apódeixis, “proof, declaration”).
noun
policy (plural policies)
(law)
(obsolete) An illegal daily lottery in late nineteenth and early twentieth century USA on numbers drawn from a lottery wheel (no plural)
A number pool lottery
Examples
Your insurance policy covers fire and theft only.
Related words
synonyms
(number pool) policy racket