polis

[poh-lis]

See more synonyms for polis on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural po·leis

[poh-lahys] /ˈpoʊ laɪs/.

an ancient Greek city-state.

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).

Origin of -polis

combining form representing Greek pólis polis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for polis

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

Examples from the Web for polis

Contemporary Examples of polis

His father coined the word “poliatrist”, meaning a healer of the polis or city.
Hector Abad On “Oblivion: A Memoir,” a Memorial to His Murdered Father
Maya Jaggi
April 27, 2012
Frank is retiring, Baldwin is running for the Senate, and Polis and Ciciline are up for reelection.
Gay Politicians Come Out In Force for 2012 Races
Allison Yarrow
April 26, 2012

Historical Examples of polis

I allow them this house to meet in, bekaise it's large and far from the polis.
The Tithe-Proctor
William Carleton
She longed to be in the Polis again, among civilized people.
The Saracen: The Holy War
Robert Shea
If only he were Greek, what a fighter for the Polis he would be.
The Saracen: The Holy War
Robert Shea
And her place in the Polis was dependent on the basileus, Michael.
The Saracen: Land of the Infidel
Robert Shea
In her mind she saw the Polis, glowing golden at the edge of the sea.
The Saracen: Land of the Infidel
Robert Shea

British Dictionary definitions for polis

polis

noun plural poleis (ˈpɒlaɪs)

an ancient Greek city-state

Word Origin for polis

from Greek: city

polis

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

Word Origin and History for polis

"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").

-polis

word-forming element meaning "City," from Greek polis "city" (see polis).