police

play

verb po·lice \ pə-ˈlēs \

Definition of police

policed; policing

transitive verb

1 archaic :govern

2 :to control, regulate, or keep in order by use of police

3 :to make clean and put in order

4 a :to supervise the operation, execution, or administration of to prevent or detect and prosecute violations of rules and regulations

b :to exercise such supervision over the policies and activities of

5 :to perform the functions of a police force in or over

See police defined for English-language learners

See police defined for kids

Examples of police in a Sentence

The officers police the streets for reckless drivers.
The coast is policed by the military.
The international agency polices the development of atomic energy facilities.

Recent Examples of police from the Web

In this case, Detroit equals Ferguson, a naïve social-justice-warrior illusion holding that the root cause of racial inequality today is policing.

— armond white, National Review, "Kathryn Bigelow Does the Wrong Thing in Detroit," 4 Aug. 2017
That same year, President Herbert Hoover established the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement to investigate crime related to prohibition in addition to policing tactics.

— katie nodjimbadem, Smithsonian, "The Long, Painful History of Police Brutality in the U.S.," 27 July 2017
Policing Policies: Attorney General Jeff Sessions rolled back the Obama-era reforms on civil-asset forfeiture, a controversial practice that lets police seize property from citizens before they’ve been charged with a crime.

— rosa inocencio smith, The Atlantic, "The Atlantic Daily: Disclosure and Seizure," 19 July 2017
The aim is to have each region policed by different foreign powers.

— The Economist, "De-escalation in Syria," 19 July 2017
Hospitals decide whether to allow the practice and are primarily responsible for policing it.

— sandra g. boodman, Kaiser Health News, "Double-Booked: When Surgeons Operate On Two Patients At Once," 12 July 2017
Perhaps the welfare-reform and community-policing initiatives helped make the election revolve around M2 E2.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Why Democrats Really Won the 1996 Election," 7 July 2017
On June 21, deputies walked around the neighborhood in a community policing effort to help residents protect their valuables.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Sheriff's Office says lock your vehicles," 5 July 2017
Santee contracts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for policing.

— karen pearlman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Santee budget balanced but city wary of future pension, personnel costs," 2 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'police.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of police

in sense 1, from Middle French policier, from police conduct of public affairs; in other senses, from ²police

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1589

See Words from the same year

police

noun, often attributive

Definition of police

plural police

1 a :the internal organization or regulation of a political unit through exercise of governmental powers especially with respect to general comfort, health, morals, safety, or prosperity

b :control and regulation of affairs affecting the general order and welfare of any unit or area

c :the system of laws for effecting such control

2 a :the department of government concerned primarily with maintenance of public order, safety, and health and enforcement of laws and possessing executive, judicial, and legislative powers

b :the department of government charged with prevention, detection, and prosecution of public nuisances and crimes

3 a :police force

b plural :police officers

4 a :a private organization resembling a police force

campus police

b plural :the members of a private police organization

5 a :the action or process of cleaning and putting in order

b :military personnel detailed to perform this function

6 :one attempting to regulate or censor a specified field or activity

the fashion police

See police defined for English-language learners

Examples of police in a Sentence

Police arrested a man whom they identified as the murderer.
the appearance of a ransom note meant that the teenager's disappearance was now a matter for the police

Recent Examples of police from the Web

ARSA attacked at least two dozen police posts, and satellite imagery analyzed by Human Rights Watch indicates homes were set ablaze as well, in an area about five times larger than what was burned in 2016.

— Washington Post, "AP Explains: A look at the insurgency behind Myanmar attacks," 31 Aug. 2017
DENVER (AP) — A 70-year-old man has been arrested in the murder of a Colorado prosecutor more than 18 years after police found her dead in the bathtub of her apartment, officials said Wednesday.

— kathleen foody, The Seattle Times, "Man arrested in 1999 killing of prosecutor in Denver suburb," 30 Aug. 2017
A police officer was treated for minor injuries after a crash early Tuesday in Gary, according to officials.

— becky jacobs, Post-Tribune, "Gary officer treated for minor injuries after crash," 30 Aug. 2017
The former Carol Stream resident was arrested in 2012 for child pornography possession after police executed a search warrant at his home.

— clifford ward, Wheaton Glen Ellyn, "Ex-Wheaton College professor imprisoned for viewing film with nude children," 30 Aug. 2017
Police stopped the car and arrested the two people inside while the third occupant fled.

— karen kucher, sandiegouniontribune.com, "3 arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in National City stabbing," 30 Aug. 2017
China reportedly has 50,000 internet police who monitor domestic social media sites, deleting posts deemed seditious or merely critical of the government.

— dennis normile, Science | AAAS, "Science suffers as China’s internet censors plug holes in Great Firewall," 30 Aug. 2017
There are two ways to file complaints about police: directly with the department or with the commission.

— jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017
Scientists are now working with police to determine the source of the mist, according to Ben Farmer of the The Telegraph.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "A Mysterious Chemical Cloud Descended on the British Coast," 29 Aug. 2017

Origin and Etymology of police

French, from Old French, from Late Latin politia government, administration, from Greek politeia, from politēs citizen, from polis city, state; akin to Sanskrit pur rampart, Lithuanian pilis castle

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1698

See Words from the same year

police Synonyms

Synonyms

law

Related Words

judiciary, jurisprudence, justice

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

POLICE Defined for English Language Learners

police

play

verb

Definition of police for English Language Learners

: to control and keep order in (an area) by the use of police or military forces
: to control (something) by making sure that rules and regulations are being followed

police

noun

Definition of police for English Language Learners

: the people or the department of people who enforce laws, investigate crimes, and make arrests

POLICE Defined for Kids

police

play

verb po·lice \ pə-ˈlēs \

Definition of police for Students

policed; policing

:to keep order in or among

Officers police the city.

police

noun

Definition of police for Students

plural police

1 :the department of government that keeps order and enforces law, investigates crimes, and makes arrests

2 police plural :members of a police force

Word Root of police

The Greek word polis, meaning “city” or “community,” and the related word polītēs, meaning “citizen,” give us the roots polis and polit. Words from Greek polis and polītēs have something to do with cities or communities or the citizens who live in them. A metropolis is the most important city in an area. The police are a group that enforces the law so as to protect citizens. Politics is the science and art of governing citizens.