pol

¹ American  

[pol] / pɒl /

noun

Informal.

1. a politician, especially one experienced in making political deals, exchanging political favors, etc.

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POL ² American  

1. petroleum, oil, and lubricants.

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pol. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. political.

2. politics.

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Pol. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. Poland.

2. Also Pol Polish.

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Pol. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Poland

2. Polish

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POL ² British  

abbreviation

1. petroleum, oil, and lubricants

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Usage

What does pol mean? Pol is an informal word for a politician—a person who holds or is seeking political office as an elected government official.Like the word politician, pol is most commonly used in the context of politicians campaigning, giving speeches, and promoting themselves, as opposed to the activities that they do as part of being a government official—voting, debating issues, and working to find solutions to problems (in which case a politician might be called a representative or officeholder—or a legislator or lawmaker, if they work in a lawmaking capacity).Pol is especially used to refer to a long-term politician who’s experienced in making political deals or exchanging political favors.For that reason, it’s often used in a negative way, such as to refer to politicians who are considered members of the establishment.The informal term politico can be used to mean the same thing.Example: We should be focusing on real issues instead of listening to endless rhetoric from pols and pundits.

Etymology

Origin of pol

First recorded in 1940–45; by shortening

Example Sentences

She was new, different and had an interesting story as a waitress who ousted an out-of-touch machine pol.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

Veytia hitched his fortune to the spurs of the charismatic Roberto Sandoval, a glad-handing pol in a cowboy hat who was elected mayor of Tepic and, in 2011, governor of Nayarit.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2025

But some are already drawing parallels with another Arizona pol who Gallego replaced: former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party before deciding against a run for reelection.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2025

Yet the veteran California pol, a determined survivor, is the key to guiding his party to a shutdown resolution.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 29, 2023

On her asking him to tell her what he had been writing, he repeated the verses which are found in the Heautontimoroumenos: Satis pol proterve me Syri promessa—Heauton.

From The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Complete by Suetonius Tranquillus, Gaius