polis
/POH-lees/
police
Short for 'policía', polis is a common informal way to refer to the police.
polis(noun)
police
?Short for 'policía'
,cop
?Informal term for a police officer
the fuzz
?Slang for the police force
📝 In Action
Llamaron a la polis porque había mucho ruido.
B1They called the police because there was a lot of noise.
Ten cuidado, hay un coche de la polis en la esquina.
B2Be careful, there's a police car on the corner.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Feminine
Even though this word ends in -s, it is always treated as feminine because it is short for 'la policía' (the police force).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using it formally
Mistake: "Hablé con el polis."
Correction: Hablé con la policía. ('Polis' is informal and refers to the institution, not usually a single male officer.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Keep it Casual
Use 'polis' only with friends and in very relaxed, informal settings. For formal situations or writing, always use 'policía'.
The word polis historically refers to an Ancient Greek city-state.
📝 In Action
La polis de Esparta se enfocaba en la disciplina militar.
C1The polis of Sparta focused on military discipline.
El concepto de ciudadanía nació en la polis griega.
C2The concept of citizenship was born in the Greek polis.
💡 Grammar Points
Historical Context
When used in this historical context, 'polis' always refers specifically to the independent city structures of ancient Greece.
⭐ Usage Tips
Academic Use
This term is specialized vocabulary. You will encounter it most often when reading about ancient history, philosophy, or political science.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: polis
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'polis' in its historical, academic sense?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'polis' a standard, formal word for 'police'?
No. 'Polis' is an extremely common, but informal and sometimes regional, abbreviation for 'policía.' You should use 'policía' in any formal conversation, writing, or when speaking to a police officer.
Why does 'polis' have two such different meanings?
The word 'polis' originally meant 'city' in ancient Greece (meaning 2). The modern word for 'police' ('policía') comes from this same Greek root, as the police are responsible for order in the 'city.' The informal use of 'polis' (meaning 1) is just a recent shortening of 'policía.'