Word
politic
US/ˈpɑɫəˌtɪk/
UK/pˈɒlətˌɪk/
Definitions
01wise and strategic
adj. describes a decision or action that is wise because it helps you get what you want or avoids trouble.
adj. characterised by shrewdness and strategic expediency; showing good judgment in the pursuit of a specific goal.
“He thought it was politic to keep his opinions to himself during the meeting.”
“The CEO decided it would be politic to consult the board members individually before making the official announcement to the press.”
Formal
Usage
Usually placed before the noun it modifies or after a linking verb like 'be'.
Pitfall
It was a politic decision to hire him.
It was a politic move to hire him.
While 'politic decision' is grammatically correct, 'politic' most naturally collocates with words like 'move', 'step', or 'silence'.
Antonyms
02diplomatic
adj. being careful and clever when dealing with people so you do not offend them.
adj. demonstrating discretion and diplomatic tact in social or professional interactions.
“A politic answer helped her avoid a long argument with her boss.”
“Her politic handling of the dispute ensured that both departments felt their concerns had been addressed without further escalation.”
Formal
Synonyms
Antonyms
03relating to government
adj. an old-fashioned way to describe things related to the government or the state.
adj. relating to the state, government, or the body politic; largely superseded by 'political' in modern contexts.
“The phrase 'body politic' refers to all the people of a nation together.”
“The treatise explored the health of the body politic, comparing the functions of the state to the organs of a human body.”
Archaic · Formal
Teaching tip
In modern English, this sense is almost exclusively found in the fixed phrase 'body politic'.
04to campaign
v. to talk to people and try to get support for your ideas or to win an election.
v. to engage in political activity, campaigning, or discussion to gain support or influence.
“The candidates spent the whole weekend politicking at the local fair.”
“After months of politicking behind the scenes, the senator finally secured enough votes to pass the controversial amendment.”
Informal
Usage
Often spelled 'politick' to preserve the hard 'k' sound in inflected forms like 'politicking'.
Confusables
Politic describes a wise or tactful decision, while political describes anything related to government or power structures.
RememberPolitic = Prudent. Political = Policy.
Etymology
From Middle French politique, from Latin politicus, from Ancient Greek πολιτικός (politikós), from πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”). Cognate with German politisch (“political”). Doublet of politico.
Back-formation from politicking.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/politic