politics
Meaning
The activities, actions, and policies used to gain and hold power in a government or to influence a government.
A person's opinions and beliefs about how a government should be run.
The study of how power is gained and used in government and other institutions.
Structure
Usage
She decided to go into politics after working as a community organizer.
His views on foreign politics are considered quite radical.
The internal politics of the committee made reaching a consensus very difficult.
Etymology
The word 'politics' originates from the Greek adjective 'politikos', meaning "of, for, or relating to citizens," which itself derives from 'polis', the ancient Greek city-state. The suffix '-ics', indicating a field of study or practice, was appended in English, modeled on terms like 'ethics' and 'physics'. Thus, the literal meaning evolved from "matters concerning citizens" to the systematic study and practice of governance and public affairs. This journey reflects the concept's central focus shifting from the specific civic community of the 'polis' to the abstract theories and activities of statecraft in the modern world.
Analysis
- polit: From Greek 'politēs' (citizen), via Latin 'polīticus' (relating to citizens). Functions as the core root denoting civic life. - ics: From Greek '-ika' (things related to), via Latin '-ica'. Functions as a suffix forming nouns denoting a body of knowledge or systematic study.