polis

See also: Appendix:Variations of "polis"

Languages (24)

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Page categories

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

enPR: pŏʹlĭs, IPA^(key): /ˈpɒ.lɪs/
enPR: pōʹlĭs, IPA^(key): /ˈpoʊ.lɪs/
Rhymes: -ɒlɪs

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *tpelH-

Proto-Hellenic *ptólis

Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis)lbor.

English polis

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis, “fortified town; city state”).

Noun

polis (plural poleis or polises)

(historical) A Greek city-state.
- 2006, Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation, Atlantic Books 2007, page 161:
  By the end of the century, poleis had been established throughout the Hellenic world, all bearing a marked family resemblance.

Related terms

-polis

Translations

a city or city-state

Bulgarian: полис m (polis)
Catalan: polis (ca) f
Chinese:
Mandarin: 城邦 (zh) (chéngbāng)
Czech: polis (cs) f
Dutch: polis (nl)
Finnish: polis (fi), kaupunkivaltio (fi)
French: polis (fr)
Georgian: პოლისი (ṗolisi), ქალაქ-სახელმწიფო (kalak-saxelmc̣ipo)
German: Polis (de) f
Greek: Πόλις-κράτος (Pólis-krátos)
Hungarian: városállam (hu)
Italian: polis (it) f
Japanese: 都市 (ja) (toshi), ポリス (ja) (porisu), 市国 (shikoku), 都市国家 (ja) (toshi kokka)
Polish: polis (pl) n
Portuguese: pólis (pt) f
Spanish: polis (es)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Scots polis. Doublet of police, policy, and polity.

Alternative forms

pollis

Noun

polis (countable and uncountable, plural polises)

(uncountable, Scotland, Ireland, Geordie) The police.
- 1994 [1993], Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, London: Minerva, →ISBN, page 328:
  Even in his Ma's womb, you would have had to define Spud less as a foetus, more as a set of dormant drug and personality problems. He'd probably draw the polis onto them through knocking a saltcellar out of the Little Chef.
(countable, Scotland, Ireland, Geordie) A police officer.

Anagrams

spoil

Azerbaijani

Other scripts
Cyrillic		полис
Arabic		پولیس

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [poˈlis]
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: pol‧is

Noun

polis (definite accusative polisi, plural polislər)

police (an organisation that enforces the law)
polis idarəsi ― police department

polis şöbəsi ― police station, police district

polis əməkdaşı ― police employee
police (member of the police force)

Declension

Declension of *polis*
	singular	plural
nominative	polis	polislər
definite accusative	polisi	polisləri
dative	polisə	polislərə
locative	polisdə	polislərdə
ablative	polisdən	polislərdən
definite genitive	polisin	polislərin

Possessive forms of *polis*
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisim	polislərim
sənin (“your”)	polisin	polislərin
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisi	polisləri
bizim (“our”)	polisimiz	polislərimiz
sizin (“your”)	polisiniz	polisləriniz
onların (“their”)	polisi or polisləri	polisləri

	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisimi	polislərimi
sənin (“your”)	polisini	polislərini
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisini	polislərini
bizim (“our”)	polisimizi	polislərimizi
sizin (“your”)	polisinizi	polislərinizi
onların (“their”)	polisini or polislərini	polislərini

	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisimə	polislərimə
sənin (“your”)	polisinə	polislərinə
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisinə	polislərinə
bizim (“our”)	polisimizə	polislərimizə
sizin (“your”)	polisinizə	polislərinizə
onların (“their”)	polisinə or polislərinə	polislərinə

	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisimdə	polislərimdə
sənin (“your”)	polisində	polislərində
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisində	polislərində
bizim (“our”)	polisimizdə	polislərimizdə
sizin (“your”)	polisinizdə	polislərinizdə
onların (“their”)	polisində or polislərində	polislərində

	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisimdən	polislərimdən
sənin (“your”)	polisindən	polislərindən
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisindən	polislərindən
bizim (“our”)	polisimizdən	polislərimizdən
sizin (“your”)	polisinizdən	polislərinizdən
onların (“their”)	polisindən or polislərindən	polislərindən

	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	polisimin	polislərimin
sənin (“your”)	polisinin	polislərinin
onun (“his/her/its”)	polisinin	polislərinin
bizim (“our”)	polisimizin	polislərimizin
sizin (“your”)	polisinizin	polislərinizin
onların (“their”)	polisinin or polislərinin	polislərinin

Breton

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpoː.lis/

Noun

polis m (plural polisoù)

police

Noun

polis m (plural polised)

police officer

Cebuano

Etymology

Borrowed from English police.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /poˈlis/ [poˈl̪is̪]
Hyphenation: po‧lis

Noun

polís (Badlit spelling ᜉᜓᜎᜒᜐ᜔)

a police officer; a cop
a civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order

Czech

Czech Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^cs

Etymology

International learned borrowing Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis, “fortified town; city state”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈpolɪs]

Noun

polis f (indeclinable)

polis (ancient Greek city-state)

Related terms

Dutch

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpoː.lɪs/
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: po‧lis

Etymology 1

From French police (from Italian polizza, q.v.).

Noun

polis f (plural polissen, diminutive polisje n)

Derived terms

Descendants

→ Indonesian: polis

Etymology 2

International learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis) since the 1970s (probably via English polis).

Noun

polis f (plural poleis, no diminutive)

(historical) a polis; an ancient, especially Ancient Greek, city state or city

Finnish

Finnish Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^fi

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis, “fortified town; city state”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpolis/, [ˈpo̞lis̠]
Rhymes: -olis
Syllabification^(key): po‧lis
Hyphenation^(key): po‧lis

Noun

polis

(historical) polis; Greek city-state
Hypernym: kaupunkivaltio (“city-state”)
- 2011, Paavo Castrén, Uusi antiikin historia, Otava, page 117:
  Kreikkalainen polis tuli sekä etruski- että latinalaisten yhteisöjen esikuvaksi – –.
  The Greek polis came to be a role model for Estruscan and Latin communities alike – –

Declension

Inflection of polis (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)
nominative		polis	polikset
genitive		poliksen	polisten poliksien
partitive		polista	poliksia
illative		polikseen	poliksiin
		singular	plural
nominative		polis	polikset
accusative	nom.	polis	polikset
accusative	gen.	poliksen	polikset
genitive		poliksen	polisten poliksien
partitive		polista	poliksia
inessive		poliksessa	poliksissa
elative		poliksesta	poliksista
illative		polikseen	poliksiin
adessive		poliksella	poliksilla
ablative		polikselta	poliksilta
allative		polikselle	poliksille
essive		poliksena	poliksina
translative		polikseksi	poliksiksi
abessive		poliksetta	poliksitta
instructive		—	poliksin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of polis (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		polikseni	polikseni
accusative	nom.	polikseni	polikseni
accusative	gen.	polikseni	polikseni
genitive		polikseni	polisteni poliksieni
partitive		polistani	poliksiani
inessive		poliksessani	poliksissani
elative		poliksestani	poliksistani
illative		polikseeni	poliksiini
adessive		poliksellani	poliksillani
ablative		polikseltani	poliksiltani
allative		polikselleni	poliksilleni
essive		poliksenani	poliksinani
translative		poliksekseni	poliksikseni
abessive		poliksettani	poliksittani
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	poliksineni

second-person singular possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		poliksesi	poliksesi
accusative	nom.	poliksesi	poliksesi
accusative	gen.	poliksesi	poliksesi
genitive		poliksesi	polistesi poliksiesi
partitive		polistasi	poliksiasi
inessive		poliksessasi	poliksissasi
elative		poliksestasi	poliksistasi
illative		polikseesi	poliksiisi
adessive		poliksellasi	poliksillasi
ablative		polikseltasi	poliksiltasi
allative		poliksellesi	poliksillesi
essive		poliksenasi	poliksinasi
translative		polikseksesi	poliksiksesi
abessive		poliksettasi	poliksittasi
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	poliksinesi

first-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		poliksemme	poliksemme
accusative	nom.	poliksemme	poliksemme
accusative	gen.	poliksemme	poliksemme
genitive		poliksemme	polistemme poliksiemme
partitive		polistamme	poliksiamme
inessive		poliksessamme	poliksissamme
elative		poliksestamme	poliksistamme
illative		polikseemme	poliksiimme
adessive		poliksellamme	poliksillamme
ablative		polikseltamme	poliksiltamme
allative		poliksellemme	poliksillemme
essive		poliksenamme	poliksinamme
translative		polikseksemme	poliksiksemme
abessive		poliksettamme	poliksittamme
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	poliksinemme

second-person plural possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		poliksenne	poliksenne
accusative	nom.	poliksenne	poliksenne
accusative	gen.	poliksenne	poliksenne
genitive		poliksenne	polistenne poliksienne
partitive		polistanne	poliksianne
inessive		poliksessanne	poliksissanne
elative		poliksestanne	poliksistanne
illative		polikseenne	poliksiinne
adessive		poliksellanne	poliksillanne
ablative		polikseltanne	poliksiltanne
allative		poliksellenne	poliksillenne
essive		poliksenanne	poliksinanne
translative		polikseksenne	poliksiksenne
abessive		poliksettanne	poliksittanne
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	poliksinenne

third-person possessor
		singular	plural
nominative		poliksensa	poliksensa
accusative	nom.	poliksensa	poliksensa
accusative	gen.	poliksensa	poliksensa
genitive		poliksensa	polistensa poliksiensa
partitive		polistaan polistansa	poliksiaan poliksiansa
inessive		poliksessaan poliksessansa	poliksissaan poliksissansa
elative		poliksestaan poliksestansa	poliksistaan poliksistansa
illative		polikseensa	poliksiinsa
adessive		poliksellaan poliksellansa	poliksillaan poliksillansa
ablative		polikseltaan polikseltansa	poliksiltaan poliksiltansa
allative		polikselleen poliksellensa	poliksilleen poliksillensa
essive		poliksenaan poliksenansa	poliksinaan poliksinansa
translative		poliksekseen polikseksensa	poliksikseen poliksiksensa
abessive		poliksettaan poliksettansa	poliksittaan poliksittansa
instructive		—	—
comitative		—	poliksineen poliksinensa

Related terms

French

Pronunciation

Audio (France (Brétigny-sur-Orge)): (file)

Verb

polis

inflection of polir:
1. first/second-person singular present indicative
2. first/second-person singular past historic
3. second-person singular imperative

Participle

polis m pl

masculine plural of poli

Adjective

polis

masculine plural of poli

Anagrams

poils

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French police.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /polis/
Audio: (file)

Noun

polis

police officer

Indonesian

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^id

Pronunciation

(Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈpolis/ [ˈpo.lɪs]
Rhymes: -olis
Syllabification: po‧lis

Etymology 1

From Dutch polis (“insurance policy”), from French police (“policy”), from Italian polizza, from Ancient Greek ἀπόδειξις (apódeixis, “proof”). Compare to Malay polisi (“policy”).

Noun

polis (plural polis-polis)

insurance policy

Derived terms

berpolis

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Noun

polis (plural polis-polis)

nonstandard form of poles

Usage notes

The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian. The Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore usage can be seen in Malay polis.

Latin

Noun

polīs

dative/ablative plural of polus

References

"polis", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
“polis”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
“polis”, in William Smith, editor (1848), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray
“polis”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly

Latvian

Latvian Wikipedia has an article on:

poļi

Wikipedia ^lv

Etymology

Ultimately from Polish polak, Russian поля́к (polják) (under the influence of Old High German pōl — cf. German, English Pole — and perhaps also of Latvian dialectal bolis, polis (“ox without horns”)), itself derived from Polish pole (“field”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *pel- (“light (color), gray”).^[1]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [pūōlis]

This entry needs an audio pronunciation. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record this word. The recorded pronunciation will appear here when it's ready.

Noun

polis m (2nd declension, female equivalent poliete)

a Pole, a Polish man, a man born in Poland
pēc Livonijas kara poļi ieguva Vidzemi un Latgali ― after the Livonian War the Poles obtained Vidzeme and Latgale
(genitive plural) Polish; pertaining to Poland and its people
poļu valoda ― the Polish language

poļu māksla ― Polish art

Declension

Declension of *polis* (2nd)
	singular (vienskaitlis)	plural (daudzskaitlis)
nominative	polis	poļi
genitive	poļa	poļu
dative	polim	poļiem
accusative	poli	poļus
instrumental	poli	poļiem
locative	polī	poļos
vocative	poli	poļi

Related terms

References

^ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “polis”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca [Latvian Etymological Dictionary]‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

Malay

Malay Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^ms

Pronunciation

(Baku, schwa-variety) IPA^(key): /ˈpolis/ [ˈpo.lis]
Audio (Malaysia): (file)
Rhymes: -lis, -is
Hyphenation: po‧lis

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English police, from Middle French police, from Latin politia (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía).

Noun

polis (Jawi spelling ڤوليس, plural polis-polis or polis²)

(Malaysia, Singapore, Riau) The police, a civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order.
Synonyms: serdadu (Southern Thailand), polisi (Indonesia)
(Malaysia, Singapore, Riau) A police officer.
Synonyms: anggota polis, mata-mata, serdadu (Southern Thailand), polisi (Indonesia)

Usage notes

The word is part of false friends between Standard Malay and Indonesian due to shared etymology. The Indonesian usage can be seen in Indonesian polis.

Derived terms

kepolisan

abang polis (“slang, endearing term for a friendly police officer”)
anggota polis (“police officer”)
balai polis (“police station”)
kereta polis (“police car”)
polis hutan (“forest ranger”)
polis lalu lintas / polis trafik (“traffic police”)
polis marin
polis pencegah rusuhan
polis rahsia (“secret police”)
polis simpanan
polis tentera (“military police”)

Etymology 2

Noun

polis (plural polis-polis or polis²)

(Indonesia) alternative spelling of polisi (“policy”); see Indonesian polis (“policy”)

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Spanish policía and Portuguese polícia and Dutch politie.

Noun

polis

Pijin

Noun

polis

Portuguese

Verb

polis

second-person plural present indicative of polir

Réunion Creole French

Etymology

From French police.

Noun

polis f

police

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis).

Noun

polis n (plural polisuri)

polis

Declension

	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
	singular		plural
nominative-accusative	polis	polisul	polisuri	polisurile
genitive-dative	polis	polisului	polisuri	polisurilor
vocative	polisule		polisurilor

Scots

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpolɪs/

Etymology 1

From the French police.

Noun

polis (countable and uncountable, plural polises)

(uncountable) police
- 1987, Robbie Kydd, ...Auld Zimmery, Mariscat Press 1987:
  'Listen then. Yer name's Andy MacPhail. That's whit us three has jist tellt the polis in wir statements. Okay?'
- 1991, Dr James Begg, Dipper: 20 - Cops and Robbers, Luath Press:
  ‘Aye, Andra,' cam back the reply. 'We micht as weel caa it a day doun here. The hale bluidy place is hotchin wi polis! Come doun an get us at the Auld Raw.'
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2007, Sheena Blackhall, The Quarry, Lochlands:
  Brian hid contactit his granfaither, Pat, tae see gin the polis computers could raik up onythin ava tae makk eese o in persuadin Bappy Anderson tae pairt wi a kidney.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- 2013, Pedro Lenz, translated by Donal McLaughlin, Naw Much of a Talker, Freight Books, page 51:
  Coont yirsel lucky ahm naw cawin the polis. Noo fuck off.
  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

polis

Polish

Verb

polis

polish
adorn, beautify

References

http://www.dsl.ac.uk/ - Dictionary of the Scots Language

Spanish

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpolis/ [ˈpo.lis]
Rhymes: -olis
Syllabification: po‧lis

Etymology 1

Noun

polis m pl or f pl

plural of poli

Etymology 2

Spanish Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^es

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis, “city-state”).

Noun

polis f pl (plural only)

polis

Swedish

Pronunciation

Audio: (file)

Noun

polis c

(often in the definite "polisen") police (organization that enforces the law)
a police officer
Synonyms: polisman, (dated, now polisassistent) konstapel (“constable”)

Declension

Declension of **polis**
		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	polis	polis
singular	definite	polisen	polisens
plural	indefinite	poliser	polisers
plural	definite	poliserna	polisernas

Synonyms

colloquial or slang; sense “police forces”

colloquial or slang; sense “police officer”

byling (dated)
gris
snut

Hypernyms

officer

Hyponyms

Derived terms

References

Tagalog

Pronunciation

(Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /poˈlis/ [poˈlɪs]
Rhymes: -is
Syllabification: po‧lis

Noun

polís (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜓᜎᜒᜐ᜔) (dated)

alternative form of pulis

Tok Pisin

Etymology 1

From English police.

Noun

polis

police

Etymology 2

From English polish.

Noun

polis

polish

Turkish

Turkish Wikipedia has an article on:

polis

Wikipedia ^tr

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish پولیس (polis), from French police.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /poˈlis/
Audio: (file)
Hyphenation: po‧lis

Noun

polis (definite accusative polisi, plural polisler)

(collectively) police (an organisation that enforces the law)
(specifically) police officer
Synonyms: aynasız, polis memuru

Usage notes

This term is gender-neutral.

Declension

Declension of polis

	singular	plural
nominative	polis	polisler
definite accusative	polisi	polisleri
dative	polise	polislere
locative	poliste	polislerde
ablative	polisten	polislerden
genitive	polisin	polislerin

Possessive forms
nominative
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisim	polislerim
2nd singular	polisin	polislerin
3rd singular	polisi	polisleri
1st plural	polisimiz	polislerimiz
2nd plural	polisiniz	polisleriniz
3rd plural	polisleri	polisleri
definite accusative
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisimi	polislerimi
2nd singular	polisini	polislerini
3rd singular	polisini	polislerini
1st plural	polisimizi	polislerimizi
2nd plural	polisinizi	polislerinizi
3rd plural	polislerini	polislerini
dative
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisime	polislerime
2nd singular	polisine	polislerine
3rd singular	polisine	polislerine
1st plural	polisimize	polislerimize
2nd plural	polisinize	polislerinize
3rd plural	polislerine	polislerine
locative
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisimde	polislerimde
2nd singular	polisinde	polislerinde
3rd singular	polisinde	polislerinde
1st plural	polisimizde	polislerimizde
2nd plural	polisinizde	polislerinizde
3rd plural	polislerinde	polislerinde
ablative
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisimden	polislerimden
2nd singular	polisinden	polislerinden
3rd singular	polisinden	polislerinden
1st plural	polisimizden	polislerimizden
2nd plural	polisinizden	polislerinizden
3rd plural	polislerinden	polislerinden
genitive
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisimin	polislerimin
2nd singular	polisinin	polislerinin
3rd singular	polisinin	polislerinin
1st plural	polisimizin	polislerimizin
2nd plural	polisinizin	polislerinizin
3rd plural	polislerinin	polislerinin

Predicative forms
	singular	plural
1st singular	polisim	polislerim
2nd singular	polissin	polislersin
3rd singular	polis polistir	polisler polislerdir
1st plural	polisiz	polisleriz
2nd plural	polissiniz	polislersiniz
3rd plural	polisler	polislerdir

[1] Karulis, Konstantīns (1992), “polis”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca [Latvian Etymological Dictionary]‎^[1] (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

[1]

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Breton

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