polis
[poh-lis]
- an ancient Greek city-state.
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Origin of polis
1890–95; < Greek pólis, plural (Ionic) póleis
-polis
- a combining form, meaning “city,” appearing in loanwords from Greek (metropolis), and used in the formation of placenames (Annapolis).
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Origin of -polis
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
metropolis, center, municipality, downtown, place, capital, port, burg, borough, megalopolis, conurbation, apple, polisExamples from the Web for polis
Contemporary Examples
His father coined the word “poliatrist”, meaning a healer of the polis or city.
Frank is retiring, Baldwin is running for the Senate, and Polis and Ciciline are up for reelection.
Historical Examples
I allow them this house to meet in, bekaise it's large and far from the polis.
The Tithe-ProctorWilliam Carleton
She longed to be in the Polis again, among civilized people.
The Saracen: The Holy WarRobert Shea
If only he were Greek, what a fighter for the Polis he would be.
The Saracen: The Holy WarRobert Shea
And her place in the Polis was dependent on the basileus, Michael.
The Saracen: Land of the InfidelRobert Shea
In her mind she saw the Polis, glowing golden at the edge of the sea.
The Saracen: Land of the InfidelRobert Shea
polis1
- an ancient Greek city-state
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Word Origin
from Greek: city
polis2
- Scot and Irish the police or a police officer
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Word Origin
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
Word Origin and History for polis
n.
"ancient Greek city-state," 1894, from Greek polis "city, one's city; the state, citizens," from PIE *pele- "citadel, enclosed space, often on high ground" (cf. Sanskrit pur, puram "city, citadel," Lithuanian pilis "fortress").
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-polis
word-forming element meaning "City," from Greek polis "city" (see polis).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper