Definitions for policy
ˈpɒl ə sipol·i·cy

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 6 votes)Rate this definition:

1. policynoun

   a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group

   "it was a policy of retribution"; "a politician keeps changing his policies"

2. policynoun

   a line of argument rationalizing the course of action of a government

   "they debated the policy or impolicy of the proposed legislation"

3. policy, insurance policy, insurancenoun

   written contract or certificate of insurance

   "you should have read the small print on your policy"

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Policynoun

   Etymology: πολιτεία; politia, Lat.

   1. The art of government, chiefly with respect to foreign powers.2. Art; prudence; management of affairs; stratagem.

   The policy of that purpose is made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties. William Shakespeare, Ant. and Cleopatra.

   If it be honour in your wars to seem
   The same you are not, which for your best ends
   You call your policy; how is’t less or worse,
   But it shall hold companionship in peace
   With honour as in war. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   If she be curst, it is for policy,
   For she’s not froward, but modest. William Shakespeare.

   The best rule of policy, is to prefer the doing of justice before all enjoyments. Charles I .

   The wisdom of this world is sometimes taken in scripture for policy, and consists in a certain dexterity of managing business for a man’s secular advantage. Robert South, Sermons.

   3. [ Poliça, Spanish.]A warrant for money in the publick funds.

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Policynoun

   civil polity

2. Policynoun

   the settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state

3. Policynoun

   the method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course

4. Policynoun

   management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem

5. Policynoun

   prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit

6. Policynoun

   motive; object; inducement

7. Policyverb

   to regulate by laws; to reduce to order

8. Policynoun

   a ticket or warrant for money in the public funds

9. Policynoun

   the writing or instrument in which a contract of insurance is embodied; an instrument in writing containing the terms and conditions on which one party engages to indemnify another against loss arising from certain hazards, perils, or risks to which his person or property may be exposed. See Insurance

10. Policynoun

    a method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in a lottery; as, to play policy

11. Etymology: [F. police; cf. Pr. polissia, Sp. plizia, It. plizza; of uncertain origin; cf. L. pollex thumb (as being used in pressing the seal), in LL. also, seal; or cf. LL. politicum, poleticum, polecticum, L. polyptychum, account book, register, fr. Gr. having many folds or leaves; many + fold, leaf, from to fold; or cf. LL. apodixa a receipt.]

Freebase(4.05 / 22 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Policy

   A policy is a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent, and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by the Board of or senior governance body within an organization whereas procedures or protocols would be developed and adopted by senior executive officers. Policies can assist in both subjective and objective decision making. Policies to assist in subjective decision making would usually assist senior management with decisions that must consider the relative merits of a number of factors before making decisions and as a result are often hard to objectively test e.g. work-life balance policy. In contrast policies to assist in objective decision making are usually operational in nature and can be objectively tested e.g. password policy. The term may apply to government, private sector organizations and groups, and individuals. Presidential executive orders, corporate privacy policies, and parliamentary rules of order are all examples of policy. Policy differs from rules or law. While law can compel or prohibit behaviors, policy merely guides actions toward those that are most likely to achieve a desired outcome.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(3.50 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Policy

   pol′i-si, n. the art or manner of regulating or guiding conduct: the method and forms according to which the government and business of a country are carried on: a system of administration guided more by interest than by principle: dexterity of management: prudence: cunning: in Scotland, (esp. in pl.) the pleasure-grounds around a mansion. [O. Fr. policie (Fr. police)—L. politia—Gr. politeia.]

2. Policy

   pol′i-si, n. a warrant for money in the funds: a writing containing a contract of insurance: a kind of gambling by betting on the numbers to be drawn in a lottery.—n. Pol′icy-hold′er, one who holds a policy or contract of insurance. [Fr. police, a policy—L. polyptychum, a register—Gr. polyptychon—polys, many, ptyx, ptychos, fold.]

The Roycroft Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. policy

   Leaving a few things unsaid.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. policy

   A written contract, by which the insurers oblige themselves to indemnify sea-risks under various conditions. An interest policy, is where the insurer has a real assignable interest in the thing insured; a wager policy, is where the insurer has no substantial interest in the thing insured; an open policy, is where the amount of interest is not fixed, but left to be ascertained in case of loss; a valued policy, is where an actual value has been set on the ship or goods.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. policy

   An intention or plan of action.

   The governmental policy was one of unity and multi-party working for the benefit of everyone within a country, nation or state.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 16, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. policy

   Song lyrics by policy -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by policy on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Argumentation
   • Contract
   • Plan Of Action

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'policy' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #332

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'policy' in Written Corpus Frequency: #421

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'policy' in Nouns Frequency: #61

How to pronounce policy?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say policy in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of policy in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of policy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of policy in a Sentence

1. Lucy Dadayan:

   It's much, much more reasonable to give rebates to the lowest-income taxpayers, but eliminating or temporarily suspending gas taxes is not a prudent tax policy.

2. Jessica Bolter:

   It certainly wasn't the exact same policy.

3. Rex Tillerson:

   I would not in any way attempt to extrapolate that to a change in our policy or posture relative to our military activities in Syria today. There has been no change in that status.

4. Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

   Russia is…pursuing a consistent criminal policy of deporting our people. [It] forcibly deports both adults and children, this is one of Russia's most heinous war crimes.

5. Defense Secretary Mattis:

   We've come out with a policy that if you're not deployable for a year or more you're going to have to go somewhere else.

Popularity rank by frequency of use