Definition of POLICY

policy

Meanings

Plural: policies

Noun

  • a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group
    • "it was a policy of retribution"
  • a line of argument rationalizing the course of action of a government
    • "they debated the policy or impolicy of the proposed legislation"
  • written contract or certificate of insurance
    • "you should have read the small print on your policy"
  • A principle of behaviour, conduct which an entity (government, organization, etc.) applies or seeks to follow, especially as formally expressed by an authoritative body.
  • A document describing such a policy.
  • Wise, advantageous, or politic conduct; prudence, formerly also with connotations of craftiness.
  • Specifically, political shrewdness or (formerly) cunning; statecraft.
  • The grounds of a large country house.
  • The art of governance; political science.
  • A state; a polity.
  • A set political system; civil administration.
  • A trick; a stratagem.
  • Motive; object; inducement.
  • A contract of insurance.
  • A document containing or certifying this contract.
  • 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

Verb

  • To regulate by laws; to reduce to order.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English policie, from Old French policie, pollicie and police, 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.

Synonyms

insurance, insurance policy, policy racket

Scrabble Score: 13

policy is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
policy is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
policy is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 15

policy is a valid Words With Friends word