Word
polity
Phoneticspoli·ty
US/ˈpɑɫəti/
UK/pˈɒlɪti/
AcademicPolitics
Definition
n. a group of people who are ruled by a specific government or system. It can also mean a specific way of organizing a society or a country.
n. a body of people living under a particular form of government; a political system or social order.
Examples
“The ancient city was a small polity with its own laws.”
“Scholars often study the transition from a small polity to a larger, centralized state.”
“The historian argues that the stability of the polity depends less on the strength of the leader than on the shared cultural values of the citizenry.”
Examples
simple
“The ancient city was a small polity with its own laws.”
contextual
“Scholars often study the transition from a small polity to a larger, centralized state.”
complex
“The historian argues that the stability of the polity depends less on the strength of the leader than on the shared cultural values of the citizenry.”
Real-World Examples
“To start fifty-two land-grant universities, the government used more than ten million acres it had wrested from nearly two hundred and fifty Native polities.” “Central to this essential democratic ideal is a system of education that exposes all citizens to the perspectives, experiences and histories of the different groups who make up the polity.” Etymology
From Middle French politie, from Latin polītīa, from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía, “polity, policy, the state”). Doublet of police, policy, and polis (“police”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/polity