. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis , “ fortified town; city state ” ) .
Noun
polis (plural poleis or polises )
( historical ) A Greek city-state .
2006 , Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation , Atlantic Books 2007, page 161 :By the end of the century, poleis had been established throughout the Hellenic world, all bearing a marked family resemblance.
Translations
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Scots polis . Doublet of police .
Noun
polis (countable and uncountable , plural polises )
( uncountable , Scotland , Ireland , Geordie ) The police .
1994 [1993 ], Irvine Welsh , Trainspotting , London: Minerva, →ISBN , page 328 :Even in his Ma's womb, you would have had to define Spud less as a foetus, more as a set of dormant drug and personality problems. He'd probably draw the polis onto them through knocking a saltcellar out of the Little Chef.
( countable , Scotland , Ireland , Geordie ) A police officer .
Further reading
Anagrams
Azerbaijani
Pronunciation
Noun
polis (definite accusative polisi , plural polislər )
police ( an organisation that enforces the law )
polis idarəsi ― police department
polis şöbəsi ― police station, police district
polis əməkdaşı ― police employee
police ( member of the police force )
Declension
Cebuano
Etymology
From English police , from Middle French police , from Latin politia ( “ state, government ” ) , from Ancient Greek πολιτεία ( politeía ) .
Noun
polis
a police officer ; a cop
a civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order
Czech
Etymology
International learned borrowing Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis , “ fortified town; city state ” ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
polis f (indeclinable )
polis ( ancient Greek city-state )
Further reading
“polis ”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
“polis ”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech)
Dutch
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈpoː.lɪs/
Hyphenation: po‧lis
Etymology 1
From French police (from Italian polizza , q.v.).
Noun
polis f (plural polissen , diminutive polisje n )
insurance policy
insurance plan
Derived terms
Descendants
Etymology 2
International learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis ) since the 1970s (probably via English polis ).
Noun
polis f (plural poleis )
( historical ) a polis ; an ancient, especially Ancient Greek , city state or city
Finnish
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis , “ fortified town; city state ” ) .
Pronunciation
Noun
polis
( historical ) A Greek city-state .
2011 , Paavo Castrén, Uusi antiikin historia , Otava, page 117 :Kreikkalainen polis tuli sekä etruski- että latinalaisten yhteisöjen esikuvaksi – –. The Greek polis came to be a role model for Estruscan and Latin communities alike – –
Declension
Synonyms
French
Pronunciation
Verb
polis
inflection of polir :
first / second-person singular present indicative
first / second-person singular past historic
second-person singular imperative
Participle
polis m pl
masculine plural of poli
Adjective
polis
masculine plural of poli
Anagrams
Haitian Creole
Etymology
From French police .
Pronunciation
Noun
polis
police officer
Indonesian
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /po.lɪs/
Rhymes: -lɪs
Hyphenation: po‧lis
Etymology 1
From Dutch polis ( “ insurance policy ” ) , from French police ( “ policy ” ) , from Italian polizza , from Ancient Greek ἀπόδειξις ( apódeixis , “ proof ” ) . Compare to Malay polisi ( “ policy ” ) .
Noun
polis
insurance policy
Derived terms
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Noun
polis
nonstandard form of poles .
Usage notes
The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian . The Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore usage can be seen in Malay polis .
Further reading
Latin
Noun
polīs
dative / ablative plural of polus
References
polis in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
“polis ”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898 ), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities , New York: Harper & Brothers
“polis ”, in William Smith, editor (1848 ), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology , London: John Murray
“polis ”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857 ), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography , volume 1 & 2 , London: Walton and Maberly
Latvian
Etymology
Ultimately from Polish polak , Russian поля́к ( polják ) (under the influence of Old High German pōl — cf. German , English Pole — and perhaps also of Latvian dialectal bolis , polis ( “ ox without horns ” ) ), itself derived from Polish pole ( “ field ” ) , perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *pel- ( “ light (color), gray ” ) .[ 1]
Pronunciation
Noun
polis m (2nd declension , feminine form: poliete )
a Pole , a Polish man , a man born in Poland
pēc Livonijas kara poļi ieguva Vidzemi un Latgali ― after the Livonian War the Poles obtained Vidzeme and Latgale
( genitive plural ) Polish ; pertaining to Poland and its people
poļu valoda ― the Polish language
poļu māksla ― Polish art
Declension
Declension of polis (2nd declension)
References
Malay
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From English police , from Middle French police , from Latin politia ( “ state, government ” ) , from Ancient Greek πολιτεία ( politeía ) .
Noun
polis (Jawi spelling ڤوليس , plural polis -polis , informal 1st possessive polisku , 2nd possessive polismu , 3rd possessive polisnya )
( Malaysia , Singapore , Riau ) police , a civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order.
Usage notes
The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian due to shared etymology . The Indonesian usage can be seen in Indonesian polis .
Synonyms
Derived terms
Etymology 2
Noun
polis (plural polis -polis , informal 1st possessive polisku , 2nd possessive polismu , 3rd possessive polisnya )
( Indonesia ) alternative spelling of polisi ( “ policy ” ) , see Indonesian polis ( “ policy ” ) .
Further reading
“polis ” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre , Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka , 2017.
Kamus Bahasa Indonesia-Melayu Riau , Jakarta, Indonesia: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 1997 , →ISBN , page 308
Papiamentu
Etymology
From Spanish policía and Portuguese polícia and Dutch politie .
Noun
polis
police
policeman
Pijin
Noun
polis
police
willy wagtail
Portuguese
Verb
polis
second-person plural present indicative of polir
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis ) .
Noun
polis n (plural polisuri )
polis
Declension
Scots
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From the French police .
Noun
polis (countable and uncountable , plural polises )
( uncountable ) police
1987 , Robbie Kydd, ...Auld Zimmery , Mariscat Press 1987:
'Listen then. Yer name's Andy MacPhail. That's whit us three has jist tellt the polis in wir statements. Okay?'
1991 , Dr James Begg, Dipper: 20 - Cops and Robbers , Luath Press:‘Aye, Andra,' cam back the reply. 'We micht as weel caa it a day doun here. The hale bluidy place is hotchin wi polis ! Come doun an get us at the Auld Raw.' (please add an English translation of this quotation)
2007 , Sheena Blackhall , The Quarry , Lochlands:Brian hid contactit his granfaither, Pat, tae see gin the polis computers could raik up onythin ava tae makk eese o in persuadin Bappy Anderson tae pairt wi a kidney. (please add an English translation of this quotation)
2013 , Pedro Lenz , translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker , Freight Books, page 51 :
Etymology 2
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Adjective
polis
Polish
Verb
polis
polish
adorn , beautify
References
Spanish
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /ˈpolis/
Rhymes: -olis
Syllabification: po‧lis
Etymology 1
Noun
polis m pl or f pl
plural of poli
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόλις ( pólis , “ city-state ” ) .
Noun
polis f pl (plural only )
polis
Further reading
Swedish
Pronunciation
Noun
polis c
( often in the definite "polisen" ) police (organization that enforces the law)
a police officer
Synonyms: polisman , ( dated, now polisassistent ) konstapel ( “ constable ” )
Declension
Colloquial or slang synonyms (police forces)
Colloquial or slang synonyms (police officer)
Derived terms
References
Tok Pisin
Etymology 1
From English police .
Noun
polis
police
Etymology 2
From English polish .
Noun
polis
polish
Turkish
Etymology
From Ottoman Turkish پولیس ( polis ) , from French police .
Pronunciation
IPA (key ) : /poˈlis/
Hyphenation: po‧lis
Noun
polis (definite accusative polisi , plural polisler )
( collectively ) police ( an organisation that enforces the law )
( specifically ) police officer
Synonyms: aynasız , polis memuru
Usage notes
Declension