polis

[poh-lis] /ˈpoʊ lɪs/
noun, plural poleis
[poh-lahys] /ˈpoʊ laɪs/ (Show IPA)
1.
an ancient Greek city-state.
Origin
1890-95; < Greek pólis, plural (Ionic) póleis

-polis

1.
a combining form, meaning “city,” appearing in loanwords from Greek (metropolis), and used in the formation of placenames (Annapolis).
Origin
combining form representing Greek pólis polis
Examples from the web for polis
  • What's genuinely radical about good art is that it detonates a kind of ambiguity-bomb at the heart of the polis.
  • What's good for the pocketbook is good for the polis.
British Dictionary definitions for polis

polis1

/ˈpɒlɪs/
noun (pl) poleis (ˈpɒlaɪs)
1.
an ancient Greek city-state
Word Origin
from Greek: city

polis2

/ˈpolɪs/
noun
1.
(Scot & Irish) the police or a police officer
Word Origin
C19: a variant pronunciation of police
Word Origin and History for polis
n.

"ancient Greek city-state," 1894, from Greek polis "city, one's city; the state, citizens," from PIE *pele- "citadel, enclosed space, often on high ground" (cf. Sanskrit pur, puram "city, citadel," Lithuanian pilis "fortress").

-polis

word-forming element meaning "City," from Greek polis "city" (see polis).