Politeia
/ˌpɒlɪˈtiːə/noun
A system of government or the constitution of a state, especially in ancient Greek political thought.
Did you know?In Plato and Aristotle, politeia could mean not just a constitution, but the whole lived order of a polis — which is why it became one of the most philosophically loaded political words in Western history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pleh₂-
“to fill, make full”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πόλις (pólis)
“city, city-state”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πολιτεία (politeía)
“citizenship; the constitution or civic order of a city-state”
Late Latin
Latin
politia
“civil administration; polity”
Middle French
French
police / politique
“civil order; government; political affairs”
Modern English
English
polity / politics
“a political system or organized government”
Explore more surprising origins