English Lexicon

Police

/pəˈliːs/
nounCEFR B1 (Intermediate)Top #300 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    The civil force of a state, responsible for maintaining public order and law, preventing and detecting crime, and enforcing the laws.

    "The police arrived at the scene within minutes of the emergency call."
As verb
  1. 1

    To maintain law and order in an area or among a group of people by means of a police force.

    "Officers were assigned to police the large public gathering."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'police' originates from the Latin 'politia', meaning 'public order', which evolved through the Greek 'politeia', referring to the administration of a city. The term entered English in the 18th century, reflecting the establishment of organized law enforcement agencies.

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