definitions

polis

[ poh-lis ]
/ ˈpoʊ lɪs /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR polis ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural po·leis [poh-lahys] /ˈpoʊ laɪs/.

an ancient Greek city-state.

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RELATED WORDS

metropolis, center, municipality, downtown, place, capital, port, burg, borough, megalopolis, conurbation, apple

Nearby words

poliomyelopathy, poliosis, poliovirus, poliovirus hominis, poliovirus vaccine, polis, polisario, polish, polish corridor, polish lowland sheepdog, polish notation

Origin of polis

1890–95; < Greek pólis, plural (Ionic) póleis

Definition for polis (2 of 2)

-polis

a combining form, meaning “city,” appearing in loanwords from Greek (metropolis), and used in the formation of placenames (Annapolis).

Origin of -polis

combining form representing Greek pólis polis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for polis

British Dictionary definitions for polis (1 of 2)

polis

1
/ (ˈpɒlɪs) /

noun plural poleis (ˈpɒlaɪs)

an ancient Greek city-state

Word Origin for polis

from Greek: city

British Dictionary definitions for polis (2 of 2)

polis

2
/ (ˈpolɪs) /

noun

Scot and Irish the police or a police officer

Word Origin for polis

C19: a variant pronunciation of police
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012