policy

¹ American  

[pol-uh-see] / ˈpɒl ə si /

noun

• policies
  plural

1. a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc..

   We have a new company policy.

   Synonyms:

   rule, principle, strategy

2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc..

   our nation's foreign policy.

3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency.

   It was good policy to consent.

4. prudence or expediency; shrewdness.

   Showing great policy, he pitted his enemies against one another.

   Synonyms:

   wit, calculation, acumen, prudence

   Antonyms:

   naiveté

5. Rare. government; polity.

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policy ² American  

[pol-uh-see] / ˈpɒl ə si /

noun

• policies
  plural

1. a document embodying a contract of insurance.

2. a method of gambling in which bets are made on numbers to be drawn by lottery.

3. numbers pool.

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policy ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒlɪsɪ /

noun

1. a plan of action adopted or pursued by an individual, government, party, business, etc

2. wisdom, prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity

3. (often plural) the improved grounds surrounding a country house

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policy ² British  

/ ˈpɒlɪsɪ /

noun

1. a document containing a contract of insurance

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Usage

What does policy mean? Policy most commonly refers to a rule or plan of action, especially an official one adopted and followed by a group, organization, or government. Policy is most commonly used in the context of laws (government policy), a country’s course of action toward others (foreign policy), and the standards or rules that all members of an organization must follow (such as company policy and school policy). Policy also has several other meanings, including an insurance contract. Example: Management encourages carpooling, but they haven’t made it an official company policy yet.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• policies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of policy¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English policie “art of government, government, civil administration,” from Middle French, from Latin polītīa polity

Origin of policy²

First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French police “written proof, documentary evidence,” (from Italian polizza, from Medieval Latin apodissa, apodīxa “receipt, security,” ultimately from Greek apódeixis “a showing or setting forth”; see apodictic, -sis) + -y ³

Explanation

Did you just come up with a plan for reducing the number of paper clips your department uses at work each month? Then you’ve created a policy, a plan of action. The noun policy can be used to refer to a plan developed by an individual or a group. You’ll often see the word used to describe a plan developed by a government, such as a housing policy or a defense policy. A policy typically outlines a specific course of action designed to further the general goals of the group. The word can also be used to describe a formal written agreement, such as an insurance policy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

policy policies

My understanding is that leaving the policy solely in the deceased parents’ names could create a problem if there is a claim, particularly now that the daughter has inherited the property.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

WSJ | Buy Side: See the newest ways to get long-term-care insurance that go beyond buying a stand-alone policy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

“You don’t know if your house is going to burn down or if a plane is going to crash into it, but you take out the policy just in case.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Guest: Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent, host of the KFF Health News weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?”

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

“You’re questioning me as if our policy was to stay in Vietnam,” Kissinger replied.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Schwartz only won Senate confirmation on Wednesday, after a hearing in which she pledged to “never betray the science” on which CDC policies are based.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The company advocated value-based policies and “went to people across the political spectrum to build support.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

He was first cast out during the "Hundred Flowers Campaign" in the 1950s, when his criticism of Mao's "irrational" economic policies saw him labelled a "rightist".

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

According to Airbnb research, when cities like New York enacted stricter hosting policies, swaths of the company’s home-rental footprint effectively disappeared in those areas.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

“No more profiting off my policies, Mr. Vega. Okay?”

From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya

Related Words

• action
• administration
• approach
• arrangement
• behavior
• code
• guideline
• management
• method
• plan
• practice
• program
• protocol
• rule
• scheme
• strategy
• theory