Two Policies: A Plan and an Insurance Document
A policy is a course of action. The insurance policy is a different word, from a Greek term for proof.
A policy is a course or principle of action. The insurance sense is a separate word: it comes through Italian *polizza* from Greek *apodeixis*, a proof or demonstration, while the governing sense comes from *polis*, a city — the same root as *police*, *politics* and *metropolis*. Two identical spellings, two unrelated origins.
- A course of action. *Government policy.*
- An insurance contract. *A life policy.*
- A principle. *Honesty is the best policy.*
- Policyholder — the insured party. *The policyholder claimed.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | policy | A clear policy. |
| Plural | policies | Company policies. |
| Related | politics | Party politics. |
| Related | police | The local police. |
| Related | polity | A stable polity. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The two policies are different words.One from *polis*, one from Greek for proof.
- Honesty is the best policy.Proverbial.
- Check your policy wording.Insurance.
Words from *polis*, a city
- Policy — the conduct of public affairs
- Politics — the affairs of the city
- Police — the civil administration, later its enforcement arm
- Metropolis — the mother city
- Cosmopolitan — a citizen of the world
The governing sense comes from Greek *politeia*, citizenship, from *polis*. The insurance sense comes from Italian *polizza*, a written record.
Are the two policies related?
No. The insurance document and the plan of action have entirely separate origins that happen to have produced the same English word.
Are police and politics related?
Yes. Both come from Greek *polis*, a city. Police originally meant civil administration in general.