πολιτική

Forms

πολῑτῐκή (polītikḗ) f (genitive πολῑτῐκῆς); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Ancient Greek πολιτικός (polītikós, “of citizens, political”) used as a noun in the feminine, with τέχνη (tékhnē, “art”) or ἐπιστήμη (epistḗmē, “knowledge”) understood.^[2][3][4][5] The adjective is from πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”), from πόλις (pólis, “city”).^[6][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plato speaks of the political art, τέχνη πολιτική, in the Protagoras and the Gorgias, and in the Statesman uses ἡ πολιτική by itself for the science of politics, set against household management and kingship.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

Aristotle made politics include ethics and divided it into politics proper, household management and practical wisdom.^[2] Koine Greek also used πολιτική of a woman, a concubine or mistress.^[1][7][8] Medieval vernacular Greek kept this sense as “a common woman, prostitute”, with the forms πολτική (poltikí) and, in Cyprus, πολιτιτζή (polititzí).^[9]

The art of government passed into Latin as Medieval Latin politica, whence French politique;^[10][11] English politics (1520s) comes from Old French and Medieval Latin, and its plural form probably copies the title of Aristotle's Politics.^[11] Modern Greek πολιτική (politikí) is a learned word: the sense “art of government” continues the ancient one, and its other senses, such as policy or tactful handling, are modelled on the French word.^[10][12]

Timeline

• 5th–4th century BC – Plato uses ἡ πολιτική for the science of politics.^[2][13]
• 4th century BC – Aristotle divides it into politics proper, household management and practical wisdom.^[2][13]
• 1100–1669 – Vernacular poems use it for a prostitute.^[9]
• 1520s – English politics is first recorded, from Old French politique and Medieval Latin politica.^[11]
• Modern Greek – πολιτική (politikí) takes on the senses of French politique.^[10]

Meanings

Noun

1. The art of government, the science of politics.^[2][1][3]
2. (Koine) A concubine, mistress.^[1][7][8]
3. (Byzantine) A prostitute.^[9][8]

Related words

• πολιτικός (polītikós)
• πολίτης (polítēs)
• πόλις (pólis)
• Medieval Latin politica
• English politics

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c Дворецкий, И. Х. (1958), Древнегреческо-русский словарь, Moscow: ГИС
4. ^ a b Τεγόπουλος, Γ.; Φυτράκης, Ε. (1997), Μείζον Ελληνικό Λεξικό, Athens: Αρμονία
5. ^ Πολυλεξικό, in the encyclopedia Επιστήμη και Ζωή, Athens
6. ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, online ed., https://www.koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Βικιλεξικό, the Greek Wiktionary, https://el.wiktionary.org
8. ^ a b c Korinthios, J. (2025), Grande Dizionario Greco Classico: Greco–Italiano, digital ed., Milan: Hoepli
9. ^ a b c Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
10. ^ a b c Ινστιτούτο Νεοελληνικών Σπουδών (Ίδρυμα Μανόλη Τριανταφυλλίδη) (1998), Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
11. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
12. ^ Ακαδημία Αθηνών (2014), Χρηστικό Λεξικό της Νεοελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens: Academy of Athens
13. ^ a b Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge