polis
noun
an ancient Greek city-state.
polis
1 American
[poh-lis]
/ ˈpoʊ lɪs /
noun
poleis
plural
-polis
2
American
polis
1
British
/ ˈpɒlɪs /
noun
polis
2
British
/ ˈpolɪs /
noun
Usage
What does -polis mean? The combining form -polis is used like a suffix meaning “city.” It is occasionally used in technical terms. The form -polis comes from Greek pólis, meaning “city.”
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of polis1
1890–95; < Greek pólis, plural (Ionic) póleis
Origin of -polis2
Combining form representing Greek pólis polis
Explanation
In ancient Greece, a polis was a completely independent, self-governing city. Each polis had an urban center with shopping areas, temples, and government buildings. A Greek polis was composed of territory that included a dense city, usually surrounded by protective walls, and the countryside around it. A temple near the center was often set on a high hill. The whole country was divided into these city-states; at the height of this era, there were about 1,000 poleis. Among the most famous were Athens and Sparta. The Greek polis means "citadel, city, or community," from a root meaning "citadel or hilltop."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"With these new platforms it takes a while for people to understand how to conduct conversation," says Charlie Beckett, director of POLIS, the media think tank at the London School of Economics.
From Time • Nov. 19, 2010
"I just can't understand what the basis is in national security of prosecuting someone for this," says Beckett of POLIS.
From Time • Nov. 19, 2010
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
