Make Your Point > Archived Issues > POLITIC

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

pronounce POLITIC: Say it "POLL uh tick." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Like the words politesse and impolitic, the word politic usually has much more to do with politeness than with politics. But an exception is the phrase "the body politic." It means "the citizenry: the group of people who belong to a particular nation or society." Speaking of the body politic, see if you can recall a similar-looking term that means "the voice of the people, or popular opinion:" it's vo_ po____. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)     definition: You might guess that "politic" means "political." It did, a long time ago. Like "politics," it traces back to the Greek word for "city." In English, starting around the 1400s, we'd talk about "politic governance," "politic counsel," and "politic wisdom:" the kind that's wise, skillful, practical, and effective. That specific meaning has stuck around. Today, politic things and people are sensible, shrewd, and wise, often in a way that avoids offending people or embarrassing them. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "It's politic for them to do that;" "No, because it wouldn't be politic." Other forms:  None are common besides the opposite, impolitic. how to use it: Pick the common word "politic" (instead of synonyms like "wise," "tactful," or "appropriate") when you need an especially formal, serious tone. You might use "politic" to describe a statement, a question, or a decision, or maybe someone's manners or someone's approach to handling a problem. More often, though, you'll probably point out how something wasn't politic, wouldn't be politic, or wouldn't be as politic as something else. examples: "'Tell me—why did you ever come to this town anyway?' He knew immediately that the question had not been a politic one and he was disappointed with himself."    — Carson McCullers, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, 1940 "In a troubled economy, when jobs are at risk, getting professionally groomed in the early morning or late at night might seem more politic than taking a long lunch for, say, laser resurfacing."    — Kayleen Schaefer, New York Times, 17 November 2010 has this page helped you understand "politic"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "politic" without saying "tactful" or "judicious." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "'(Some polite phrase)' is a politic way to put it. (Here's the ugly truth.)" Example 1: "'Going through a rebellious phase' is a politic way to put it. They were screaming obscenities at the dinner table." Example 2: "'Mass exploration' is a politic way to put it... In August, herds of people shoved their way into the woods — some starting wildfires, trampling fragile plants and generally trashing the place — which forced parts of the park to close and inspired headlines about 'wreckreation.'”    — Brendan Kiley, Seattle Times, 29 January 2021 If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Defining by Rhyming! Check out the given term, and try to complete the definition by supplying a missing rhyming word. For example, if I give you "bevy = _ _ _ _ herd," then you give me "bird," because a bevy is a bird herd. To peek at the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy! alarums and excursions = _ _ _ _ _ bells review this word: 1. The precise opposite of POLITIC is IMPOLITIC. But a pretty close opposite of POLITIC is A. FAROUCHE (fierce or wild). B. GAUCHE (crude, tactless, or awkward). C. DONNISH (stuffy, academic, or pedantic). 2. In a novel, Alain-René Lesage described characters "politic enough to smooth over the corrugations of their contempt," meaning they _____. A. had enough clout to evade serious punishment for their offenses B. had the good sense to at least partially hide their hatred toward someone C. had the guts to engage in touchy subjects with easily offended constituents Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the game question: alarums and excursions = hell's bells a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.