policy
1 Americannoun
plural
policies-
a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, facility, etc..
We have a new company policy.
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a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political party, etc..
our nation's foreign policy.
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action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence or expediency.
It was good policy to consent.
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prudence or expediency; shrewdness.
Showing great policy, he pitted his enemies against one another.
- Synonyms:
- wit, calculation, acumen, prudence
- Antonyms:
- naiveté
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Rare. government; polity.
noun
plural
policies-
a document embodying a contract of insurance.
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a method of gambling in which bets are made on numbers to be drawn by lottery.
noun
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a plan of action adopted or pursued by an individual, government, party, business, etc
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wisdom, prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity
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(often plural) the improved grounds surrounding a country house
noun
Usage
What does policy mean? Policy most commonly refers to a rule or plan of action, especially an official one adopted and followed by a group, organization, or government. Policy is most commonly used in the context of laws (government policy), a country’s course of action toward others (foreign policy), and the standards or rules that all members of an organization must follow (such as company policy and school policy). Policy also has several other meanings, including an insurance contract. Example: Management encourages carpooling, but they haven’t made it an official company policy yet.
Etymology
Origin of policy1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English policie “art of government, government, civil administration,” from Middle French, from Latin polītīa polity
Origin of policy2
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French police “written proof, documentary evidence,” (from Italian polizza, from Medieval Latin apodissa, apodīxa “receipt, security,” ultimately from Greek apódeixis “a showing or setting forth”; see apodictic, -sis) + -y 3
Explanation
Did you just come up with a plan for reducing the number of paper clips your department uses at work each month? Then you’ve created a policy, a plan of action. The noun policy can be used to refer to a plan developed by an individual or a group. You’ll often see the word used to describe a plan developed by a government, such as a housing policy or a defense policy. A policy typically outlines a specific course of action designed to further the general goals of the group. The word can also be used to describe a formal written agreement, such as an insurance policy.
Vocabulary lists containing policy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She has promised to continue his policy of taking in people of different nationalities who have been deported from the United States.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
It is widely expected to raise its 2026 inflation outlook at the May policy meeting.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Big ideas have not been a hallmark of this campaign but there has been some conflict and consensus over policy.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
More recent cases have resulted from employees failing to follow district policy.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
Between 1890 and 1900, even as questions and concerns about human heredity and its manipulation became central to policy makers in America and Europe, Mendel’s name and his work were lost to the world.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
