politics

[ pol-i-tiks ]

/ ˈpɒl ɪ tɪks /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR politics ON THESAURUS.COM

noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

the science or art of political government.

the practice or profession of conducting political affairs.

political affairs: The advocated reforms have become embroiled in politics.

political methods or maneuvers: We could not approve of his politics in winning passage of the bill.

political principles or opinions: We avoided discussion of religion and politics. His politics are his own affair.

use of intrigue or strategy in obtaining any position of power or control, as in business, university, etc.

(initial capital letter, italics) a treatise (4th century b.c.) by Aristotle, dealing with the structure, organization, and administration of the state, especially the city-state as known in ancient Greece.

Nearby words

Idioms

play politics,

to engage in political intrigue, take advantage of a political situation or issue, resort to partisan politics, etc.; exploit a political system or political relationships.
to deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way, as for job advancement.

Origin of politics

First recorded in 1520–30; see origin at politic, -ics

Related formsan·ti·pol·i·tics, adjectivepro·pol·i·tics, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for politics

In the meantime, he should just accept that the holdup has nothing to do with his politics.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of Fame|Ben Jacobs|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Former Red Sox star Curt Schilling says his politics are keeping him out of Cooperstown.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of Fame|Ben Jacobs|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But he added that the tactic ensured all “relevant” topics in the world of politics were back to the world of Paul.
Rand Paul’s Passive-Aggressive Trolling Campaign|Olivia Nuzzi|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Liberal Democrats like to blow their bugles about how all the big money in politics comes from rich Republicans.
The 100 Rich People Who Run America|Mark McKinnon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST

I believe in the power of institutions—Congress, public policy, certain ideas about politics—that last for a long time.
Thank Congress, Not LBJ for Great Society|Julian Zelizer, Scott Porch|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Beauchamp hugged his politics like some who show their love of the pleasures of life by taking to them angrily.
Beauchamp's Career, Complete|George Meredith
During these years, however, he was equally active as a leader in politics.
The History of the Negro Church|Carter Godwin Woodson
Liberty commensurate and identical with Order,—this is the only reality of government and politics.
Anarchism and Socialism|George Plechanoff
Would their sporting sense of politics as a gigantic game carry him through successfully?
Abraham Lincoln and the Union|Nathaniel W. Stephenson
Lee emigrated from the southwestern states, and immediately became a leader in Oregon politics.
Early Western Travels 1748-1846, Volume XXX|Joel Palmer

British Dictionary definitions for politics

politics

/ (ˈpɒlɪtɪks) /

noun

(functioning as singular) the practice or study of the art and science of forming, directing, and administrating states and other political units; the art and science of government; political science

(functioning as singular) the complex or aggregate of relationships of people in society, esp those relationships involving authority or power

(functioning as plural) political activities or affairsparty politics

(functioning as singular) the business or profession of politics

(functioning as singular or plural) any activity concerned with the acquisition of power, gaining one's own ends, etccompany politics are frequently vicious

(functioning as plural) opinions, principles, sympathies, etc, with respect to politicshis conservative politics

(functioning as plural)

the policy-formulating aspects of government as distinguished from the administrative, or legal
the civil functions of government as distinguished from the military

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 politics

politics

1520s, "science of government," from politic (adj.), modeled on Aristotle's ta politika "affairs of state," the name of his book on governing and governments, which was in English mid-15c. as "Polettiques." Also see -ics.

Politicks is the science of good sense, applied to public affairs, and, as those are forever changing, what is wisdom to-day would be folly and perhaps, ruin to-morrow. Politicks is not a science so properly as a business. It cannot have fixed principles, from which a wise man would never swerve, unless the inconstancy of men's view of interest and the capriciousness of the tempers could be fixed. [Fisher Ames (1758-1808)]

Meaning "a person's political allegiances or opinions" is from 1769.

Idioms and Phrases with politics

politics

see play politics.

politics

noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

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Idioms

Origin of politics

Examples from the Web for politics

politics

noun

politics

politics