# polis
## English
### Pronunciation

* enPR: pŏʹlĭs, IPA: /ˈpɒ.lɪs/
* enPR: pōʹlĭs, IPA: /ˈpoʊ.lɪs/
* Rhymes: -ɒlɪs

### Etymology 1

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
### Etymology 2

Borrowed from Scots polis. Doublet of police.

#### 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.

### Further reading

* Oxford Dictionaries Online. "polis". 2015.
* Bill Griffiths, editor (2004), “polis”, in A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear: Northumbria University Press, →ISBN.

### Anagrams

* spoil

## Azerbaijani
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [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
## Cebuano
### Etymology

Borrowed from English police.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /poˈlis/ [poˈl̪is]
* 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
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ˈpolɪs]

### Noun

polis f (indeclinable)
* polis (ancient Greek city-state)

#### Related terms

* Akropole
* Akropolis
* antipolitický
* apolitický
* kosmopolita
* kosmopolitický
* kosmopolitismus
* kosmopolitní
* megalopole
* metropole
* nekropole
* polda
* policajt
* policie
* policista
* poliklinika
* poliš
* politbyro
* politický
* politik
* politika
* politikum
* politizace
* politizovat

### Further reading

* “polis”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech)
* “polis”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

## Dutch
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /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)
* insurance policy
* insurance plan

##### Derived terms

* verzekeringspolis
* woekerpolis

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

## Finnish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈpolis/, [ˈpo̞lis̠]
* Rhymes: -olis
* Hyphenation: po‧lis

### Noun

polis
* (historical) A Greek 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

Possessive forms of polis (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation) :
first-person singular possessor
singular
plural
nominative
polikseni
polikseni
accusative
nom.
polikseni
polikseni
gen.
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
gen.
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
gen.
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
gen.
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
gen.
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 :

#### Synonyms

* (general) kaupunkivaltio

#### Related terms

* -polis
* politiikka

## French
### Pronunciation

* Audio:(file)

### Verb

polis
* inflection of polir:
** first/second-person singular present indicative
** first/second-person singular past historic
** 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: /polis/

### Noun

polis
* police officer

## Indonesian
### Pronunciation

* (Standard Indonesian) IPA: /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

* polis angsuran
* polis anuitas
* polis asuransi
* polis asuransi jiwa permanen
* polis bernilai
* polis kombinasi
* polis kumpulan
* polis lunas
* polis pajak warisan
* polis par
* polis penyertaan
* polis perjalanan
* polis proteksi ganda
* polis risiko tinggi
* polis terbatas
* polis terbayar penuh
* polis terbuka

### 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.

### Further reading

* “polis” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

## Latin
### Noun

polīs
* dative/ablative plural of polus

### References

* "polis", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s 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
### 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”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [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, feminine form: 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

#### Related terms

* Polija
* polisks
* poļu valoda

### References

* ↑ Karulis, Konstantīns (1992) “polis”, in Latviešu Etimoloģijas Vārdnīca‎ (in Latvian), Rīga: AVOTS, →ISBN

## Malay
### Pronunciation

* IPA: [po.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, informal 1st possessive polisku, 2nd possessive polismu, 3rd possessive polisnya)
* (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
* anggota polis (“police officer”)
* balai polis (“police station”)
* kereta polis (“police car”)
* polis hutan
* polis lalu lintas / polis trafik
* polis marin
* polis pencegah rusuhan
* polis rahsia
* polis simpanan
* polis tentera

### Etymology 2
#### Noun

polis (plural polis-polis, informal 1st possessive polisku, 2nd possessive polismu, 3rd possessive polisnya)
* (Indonesia) Alternative spelling of polisi (“policy”), see Indonesian polis (“policy”).

### Further reading

* “polis” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.
* Kamus Bahasa Indonesia-Melayu Riau, Jakarta, Indonesia: Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 1997, →ISBN, page 308

## Papiamentu
### Etymology

From Spanish policía and Portuguese polícia and Dutch politie.

### Noun

polis
* police
* policeman

## Pijin
### Noun

polis
* police
* willy wagtail

## Portuguese
### Verb

polis
* second-person plural present indicative of polir

## Romanian
### Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis).

### Noun

polis n (plural polisuri)
* polis

#### Declension
## Scots
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /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: /ˈpolis/ [ˈpo.lis]
* Rhymes: -olis
* Syllabification: po‧lis

### Etymology 1
#### Noun

polis m pl or f pl
* plural of poli

### Etymology 2

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

#### Noun

polis f pl (plural only)
* polis

### Further reading

* “polis”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

## 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”)

#### Synonyms

* aina
* bylingen (dated)
* bängen (dated)
* farbror blå
* grisen
* snuten
* byling (dated)
* gris
* snut

#### Derived terms

* militärpolis
* ordningspolis
* polisagent
* polisanmäla
* polisanmälan
* polisarrest
* polisaspirant
* polisassessor
* polisassistent
* polisbefäl
* polisbevaka
* polisbevakning
* polisbil
* polisbricka
* polisbrutalitet
* polisbuss
* polisbåt
* polischef
* polischock
* polisdistrikt
* polisdomstol
* poliseskort
* polisfordon
* polisförhör
* polisförhöra
* polisförstärkning
* polishelikopter
* polishjälp
* polishund
* polishus
* polishäkte
* polishäst
* polishögkvarter
* polishögskola
* polisingripande
* polisinrättning
* polisinsats
* polisinspektör
* polisintendent
* polisiär
* polisjakt
* poliskask
* poliskedja
* poliskommissarie
* poliskonstapel
* poliskontroll
* poliskund
* poliskår
* polislarm
* polisledning
* polislås
* polismakt
* polisman
* polismisshandel
* polismyndighet
* polismästare
* polisofficer
* polisområde
* polisorganisation
* polispatrull
* polispersonal
* polispiket
* polisprotokoll
* polispådrag
* polisradio
* polisrapport
* polisrazzia
* polisregister
* polissamarbete
* polissekreterare
* polissiren
* polisskola
* polisskydd
* polisspärr
* polisstat
* polisstation
* polisstyrelse
* polisstyrka
* polistillstånd
* polistjänsteman
* polisundersökning
* polisuniform
* polisuppbåd
* polisutredning
* polisvakt
* polisvåld
* polisvälde
* polisväsen
* polisväsende
* polisyrket
* polisärende
* polisövervakning
* språkpolis
* säkerhetspolis

### References

* polis in Svensk ordbok (SO)
* polis in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
* polis in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
* Svensk MeSH

## Tagalog
### Pronunciation

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

### Noun

polís (Baybayin spelling ᜉᜓᜎᜒᜐ᜔) (dated)
* Alternative form of pulis

### Further reading

* English, Leo James (1987) Tagalog-English dictionary, Manila, Philippines: National Book Store, →ISBN, page 1060

## Tok Pisin
### Etymology 1

From English police.

#### Noun

polis
* police

### Etymology 2

From English polish.

#### Noun

polis
* polish

## Turkish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /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

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 :