policy

1 of 2

noun (1)

pol·​i·​cy ˈpä-lə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
often attributive
1
a
: prudence or wisdom in the management of affairs
b
: management or procedure based primarily on material interest
2
a
: a definite course or method of action selected from among alternatives and in light of given conditions to guide and determine present and future decisions
b
: a high-level overall plan embracing the general goals and acceptable procedures especially of a governmental body

policy

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural policies
1
: a writing whereby a contract of insurance is made
2
a
: a daily lottery in which participants bet that certain numbers will be drawn from a lottery wheel

Examples of policy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Meo was previously executive director of regulatory policy at Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) and comes as Prometheum Capital, a subsidiary of Prometheum, received approval to offer services related to digital asset securities. Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 Kelly previously served as special assistant to the president for economic policy. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 That move came after Police Chief Jeffrey Norman argued the policy would create conflicts with the 4,500-some out-of-city law enforcement expected to help with security. Alison Dirr, Journal Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2024 The Texas policy also calls for new team members to shadow the group for two executions, and then to be supervised on their first two executions, in turn. Bill Chappell, NPR, 6 Mar. 2024 After the hottest summer in recorded history, Miami-Dade introduced a first-of-its-kind policy to require employers to provide water, rest and shade to outdoor workers on hot days. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2024 Raman has had to focus on more than policy during her first term. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Critics say these incentives, going to the greatest polluters, have increased the size of farming operations in California as a result of misguided policies. The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 Montgomery’s testimony comes as Kansas lawmakers consider policy barring foreign entities to own certain land in Kansas. Katie Bernard, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'policy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English policie, pollecye "art or practice of government, system of government, commonwealth, organization or conduct of affairs, practical skill, prudence," borrowed from Anglo-French policie, pollecie "governance, system of government" (Middle French also, "a political organization, the state, conduct, behavior"), borrowed from Late Latin polītīa "citizenship, political organization, government" — more at police entry 1

Note: The term is a doublet of police entry 1; see note at that entry.

Noun (2)

earlier police, pollecy (in the phrase police/pollecy of assurance, after French pollice d'assurance), borrowed from Middle French police, pollice "certificate, written proof," probably borrowed from Italian polizza, pollizza "receipt, promissory note," alteration of apodissa, appodissa (by absorption of initial a- by the definite article and shift of -d- to a lateral), borrowed from Medieval Latin apodixa, apodissa "receipt," borrowed from Middle Greek apódeixis, going back to Greek, "making known, proof," from apodeik-, stem of apodeíknymi, apodeiknýnai "to point out, make known, prove" + -sis -sis — more at apodictic

Note: The English variant with -cy is presumably assimilation to policy entry 1, ending in a familiar suffix; it appears to have displaced police at an early date. — Middle French police has also been taken as a loan from Old Occitan polissia, itself borrowed from Italian, or directly from Medieval Latin or Greek; the editors of Trésor de la langue française reject this on grounds of the location of the earliest citations. The shift of a dental to a lateral in (apodissa > polizza) is perhaps best explained as direct borrowing into Italian from vernacular Greek, where the dental would have been a voiced interdental fricative; as Italian lacked this sound, it was transferred as an -l- (compare the etymology of pilot entry 1). This alters somewhat the path of transmission in the etymology above, perhaps removing Medieval Latin as an intermediary.

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of policy was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near policy

Cite this Entry

“Policy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/policy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

policy

1 of 2 noun
pol·​i·​cy ˈpäl-ə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
: a course of action chosen in order to guide people in making decisions
a country's foreign policy

policy

2 of 2 noun
plural policies
: a document that contains the agreement made by an insurance company with a person whose life or property is insured

Legal Definition

policy

1 of 2 noun
pol·​i·​cy ˈpä-lə-sē How to pronounce policy (audio)
plural policies
: an overall plan, principle, or guideline
especially : one formulated outside of the judiciary
obligated to consider legislative policy on the matter in their decision

policy

2 of 2 noun
plural policies
: a contract of insurance
also : the written instrument of such a contract

More from Merriam-Webster on policy

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