ˈpäləd.]ē, -ət], ]i\ noun
( -es )
Etymology: Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin politia conduct of public affairs, administration of government, from Latin, state — more at police
1. : political organization : civil order
any form of polity is more efficient than none — Walter Bagehot
2.
a. : a specific form of political organization : a form of government
a mixed polity
an equalitarian polity
b. : an Aristotelian form of political organization in which the whole body of the people govern for the good of all and that constitutes a fusion of oligarchy and democracy
3. : the management of public or private affairs ; especially : prudent, shrewd, or crafty administration
I know little of stratagem and polity — E.R.B.Lytton
4. : a politically organized unit (as a nation, state, or community)
the humanistic spirit flourished … under various polities in Greece — Norman Foerster
a dispute between the temporal and spiritual powers within the universal polity — Renzo Sereno
5.
a. : the form or constitution of a politically organized unit (as a nation or state)
the character of the English polity was gradually changing — T.B.Macaulay
retains in some measure the traditional polity of the states — Indian White Paper
b. : the form of government or organization of a religious denomination
argued for a congregational polity — J.C.Brauer
wanted to change the polity of the Anglican church — J.E.Neale
6. : policy
stand up against flagrant wrongdoings … or against polities fatal to the nation — F.L.Paxson