polity

[pol-i-tee] /ˈpɒl ɪ ti/
noun, plural polities.
1.
a particular form or system of government:
civil polity; ecclesiastical polity.
2.
the condition of being constituted as a state or other organized community or body:
The polity of ancient Athens became a standard for later governments.
3.
government or administrative regulation:
The colonists demanded independence in matters of internal polity.
4.
a state or other organized community or body.
Origin
1530-40; < Latin polītīa < Greek polīteía citizenship, government, form of government, commonwealth, equivalent to polī́te-, variant stem of polī́tēs citizen (see polis, -ite1) + -ia -ia
Can be confused
policy, polity.
Examples from the web for polity
  • Some belonged as full citizens who took part in governing the polity.
  • And it has no single polity to mediate tensions within and between member countries.
  • In a city of several million inhabitants, those represented a fraction of the polity and even less at the national scale.
  • Take solace in the fact that preventing the polity from doing more damage is the real value added.
  • For the polity to delay, as it is probed for the new consensus is prudent.
  • Deng promotes the polity to resolute at home and open the door to the rest of the world.
  • We should have arguments about whether or not expansions of centralised authorities are bad for the polity.
  • It's good to be reminded that progress continues even when the larger economy and polity are stuck in a rut.
  • Blaming polity has already become the first and the only reaction when some people are thinking about things.
  • Reaching a consensus is becoming impossible, so fragmented is the polity.
British Dictionary definitions for polity

polity

/ˈpɒlɪtɪ/
noun (pl) -ties
1.
a form of government or organization of a state, church, society, etc; constitution
2.
a politically organized society, state, city, etc
3.
the management of public or civil affairs
4.
political organization
Word Origin
C16: from Latin polītīa, from Greek politeia citizenship, civil administration, from politēs citizen, from polis city
Word Origin and History for polity
n.

1530s, from Middle French politie (early 15c.) or directly from Late Latin polita "organized government" (see policy (n.1)).