politic
Noun pluralpolitics
Pluralpolitics
- 1Shrewd and prudent in a way that serves a practical purpose; showing good judgment about what is expedient.
A politic manager weighs every word before speaking to the board.
She made the politic choice to stay neutral until the votes were counted.
Similarprudent, shrewd, judicious, expedient, wise
Oppositeimpolitic, imprudent, unwise, injudicious
Note
The current, everyday sense, and it has a favorite construction: it is, seems or would be politic to do something. Guardian writers use it exactly this way, as in "it might be politic to go to the back" and "judges it politic to pretend." Because it rewards expedience over principle, it can turn ironic. Campaigners in Florida put a governor's "politic" appearance in scare quotes to call it evasive.
It seemed politic to say nothing until the results were in.
She judged it politic to arrive after the speeches had ended.
- 2Discreet and diplomatic in speech or conduct.
A politic reply let the senator dodge the question without seeming rude.
Her politic handling of the dispute kept both families on good terms.
Similardiplomatic, tactful, discreet, judicious
Oppositetactless, undiplomatic, indiscreet, blunt
Note
The gentlest of the word's character senses, meaning tact rather than calculation. T. S. Eliot's Prufrock calls himself "Politic, cautious, and meticulous", placing the word among quiet, deferential virtues. Letitia Elizabeth Landon's "politic pause" in Francesca Carrara (1834) is a speaker letting a moment pass before he talks. Compare the "crafty" meaning, where the same discretion turns into scheming.
- 3
- 4A set of political beliefs; the body of political views held by a person or group.
The party's politic centered on free trade and small government.
He developed a politic rooted in community organizing.
Note
A singular for politics in its "set of beliefs" sense, treating a person's or a movement's views as one whole stance. It is countable, so it takes an article and adjectives: a politic, a coherent politic. Michael Bronski, writing in Gay Community News in 1978, asks whether similar experience "always lead[s] to a coherent politic?" Plain politics stays the safer choice outside that style of writing.
- 5Alternative spelling of politick.
Lawmakers politic behind closed doors to gather support.
He spent the summer learning how to politic among rural voters.
Note
A verb backed out of politicking, and its spelling shows the seam. The base form can drop the k, but every inflection keeps it: politicking, politicked. Its third-person form, politics, looks exactly like the noun. Though usually intransitive, it also takes objects: "he politicked the thing through." Politick itself was once an old spelling of the adjective.
- 6Sagacious in promoting a policy and skilled at devising a system of management; devoted to a scheme rather than a principle, and so, in a good sense, wise and prudent.
The politic minister advanced his sovereign's designs with patient cunning.
I have been politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy
c. 1598, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”Note
A word of praise with a shadow in it. The politic person serves a system rather than a principle, and that same quality could be called wisdom or calculation depending on who was speaking. In As You Like It, Shakespeare sets "politic with my friend" beside "smooth with mine enemy", and the compliment already leans toward management. Prudent or sagacious keeps the approving side without the ambiguity.
- 7Connected with or helping advance a policy, particularly a national one; effectively planned to serve its purpose, regardless of whether the measure itself is morally right or wrong.
The alliance was a politic arrangement designed to secure the realm's borders.
For then this land was famously enrich'd / With politic grave counsel
c. 1593, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third:”Note
Here the word judges a plan, not a person: a politic treaty, or Shakespeare's "politic grave counsel" in Richard III. It praises fitness for the purpose and sets the question of right and wrong aside. For people, the matching praise is the "sagacious statesman" meaning. In modern prose about a well-judged measure, prudent or expedient does the same work without the archaic ring.
- 8Concerning the state, its form of government, or civil government generally.
The treatise examined the politic order of the ancient republic.
[H]e with his people made all but one politic body whereof himself was the head
a. 1587, Philip Sidney, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia]Note
The oldest meaning, closest to the Greek polítēs, "citizen", by way of Latin politicus and Middle French politique. It survives in one fixed phrase, the body politic, where the adjective follows its noun. Philip Sidney could still write "one politic body" in the ordinary order. Anywhere else, choose political, since the bare adjective now reads as the "shrewd, expedient" meaning.
- 9A politician; one engaged in government or political affairs.
The crafty politic won his seat through flattery and favors.
to speake truly of politikes & Statesmen
1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates”Note
As a noun, the word tends to stand beside statesman, and usually beneath it. Francis Bacon writes of "politikes & Statesmen" in 1625. James Russell Lowell's epigram of 1848 contrasts the hasty politic, who borrows a lantern, with the statesman who steers by the stars. Benjamin Jowett still uses it in his 1871 Republic. In current English, politician is the word to use.
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Origins
From Middle French politique, from Latin politicus, from Ancient Greek politikós, from polítēs ('citizen'). It is related to German politisch ('political') and is a doublet of politico.
A back-formation from politicking.