policy

1 of 2

noun (1)

pol·​i·​cy ˈpä-lə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
often attributive
Synonyms of policynext
1
a
: prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs
b
: management or procedure based primarily on material interest
2
a
: a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions
b
: a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body

policy

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural policies
1
: a writing whereby a contract of insurance is made
2
a
: a daily lottery in which participants bet that certain numbers will be drawn from a lottery wheel
b
: number sense 7a

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of policy in a Sentence

Noun (1) it's always been my policy not to spread rumors you should have exercised greater policy in your online relationships and not divulged so much personal information
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Nicholson said two points of concern for her with president-elect Trump are his policies around deportation and human rights. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 20 Nov. 2024 His memoir illustrated some of the working class frustrations that led to Trump's first victory in 2016, and laid the groundwork for issues that would become central to his politics today – criticism of foreign intervention, free trade policies and betrayal by America’s elites. —Riley Beggin, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2024 That said, Ukraine's attacks could prompt the Kremlin to think Washington had encouraged them specifically to weaken Russia's nuclear deterrent, said James Acton, co-director of the nuclear policy programme at the Carnegie Endowment. —Harriet Marsden, theweek, 20 Nov. 2024 But the Trump administration should try to move away from defining U.S. policy toward these countries purely in competitive terms. —Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for policy 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English policie, pollecye "art or practice of government, system of government, commonwealth, organization or conduct of affairs, practical skill, prudence," borrowed from Anglo-French policie, pollecie "governance, system of government" (Middle French also, "a political organization, the state, conduct, behavior"), borrowed from Late Latin polītīa "citizenship, political organization, government" — more at police entry 1

Note: The term is a doublet of police entry 1; see note at that entry.

Noun (2)

earlier police, pollecy (in the phrase police/pollecy of assurance, after French pollice d'assurance), borrowed from Middle French police, pollice "certificate, written proof," probably borrowed from Italian polizza, pollizza "receipt, promissory note," alteration of apodissa, appodissa (by absorption of initial a- by the definite article and shift of -d- to a lateral), borrowed from Medieval Latin apodixa, apodissa "receipt," borrowed from Middle Greek apódeixis, going back to Greek, "making known, proof," from apodeik-, stem of apodeíknymi, apodeiknýnai "to point out, make known, prove" + -sis -sis — more at apodictic

Note: The English variant with -cy is presumably assimilation to policy entry 1, ending in a familiar suffix; it appears to have displaced police at an early date. — Middle French police has also been taken as a loan from Old Occitan polissia, itself borrowed from Italian, or directly from Medieval Latin or Greek; the editors of Trésor de la langue française reject this on grounds of the location of the earliest citations. The shift of a dental to a lateral in (apodissa > polizza) is perhaps best explained as direct borrowing into Italian from vernacular Greek, where the dental would have been a voiced interdental fricative; as Italian lacked this sound, it was transferred as an -l- (compare the etymology of pilot entry 1). This alters somewhat the path of transmission in the etymology above, perhaps removing Medieval Latin as an intermediary.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of policy was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing policy

Dictionary Entries Near policy

policize

policy

policyholder

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Policy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policy. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

policy

1 of 2 noun
pol·​i·​cy ˈpäl-ə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
: a course of action chosen in order to guide people in making decisions
a country's foreign policy

policy

2 of 2 noun
plural policies
: a document that contains the agreement made by an insurance company with a person whose life or property is insured

Legal Definition

policy

1 of 2 noun
pol·​i·​cy ˈpä-lə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
: an overall plan, principle, or guideline
especially : one formulated outside of the judiciary
obligated to consider legislative policy on the matter in their decision

policy

2 of 2 noun
plural policies
: a contract of insurance
also : the written instrument of such a contract

More from Merriam-Webster on policy

Nglish: Translation of policy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of policy for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about policy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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