police
UK: pəˈliːs | US: pəˈliːs
n. the civil force of a state, responsible for maintaining public order and safety
vt. to regulate, control, or keep order in a place using police or similar authority
police = pol<city> + ice<noun suffix>
- pol<city>: From Greek polis (city), reflecting the word’s early association with urban governance.
- ice<noun suffix>: A French-derived suffix (via Latin -itia), indicating a state or function.
Etymology Origin:
The word police entered English via French (police), tracing back to Latin politia (civil administration) and Greek polis (city). Originally tied to the governance of city-states, its meaning narrowed to "law enforcement" in the 18th century as modern policing systems emerged. The morpheme pol- preserves the ancient link to civic order, while -ice marks its institutional role.
The police arrived quickly after the emergency call.
Community programs aim to improve trust between citizens and the police.
The mayor pledged to reform the police department.
Volunteers policed the event to ensure safety.
Ancient Rome had no formal police force but relied on magistrates.