Police

The word police comes from the Greek root word "polis," which means "city" or "city-state". Over time, it evolved into the Greek word "politeia" (citizenship or civil administration), and the Latin word "politia" (civil administration or government) before entering English via Middle French.

The root meaning of the word has less to do with catching criminals and more to do with the general regulation, control, and administration of a city's affairs. This is why the word shares the exact same root as several other civic and governing terms, such as:

• Politics
• Policy
• Polity
• Metropolis

Would you like to explore the etymology of any other law enforcement terms, such as "sheriff," "constable," or "cop"?