police

noun

(law enforcement) A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.

(UK) A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.

(Australia, New Zealand) Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.

(usually plural only) The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer.

(figuratively, usually ironic and mildly derogatory) People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.

(military, slang) Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.

(Canada, US and historical) A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.

(archaic, now rare) Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.

(obsolete) Alternative form of policy. [A principle of behaviour, conduct which an entity (government, organization, etc.) applies or seeks to follow, especially as formally expressed by an authoritative body.]

(obsolete) Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community. [(politics, religion, usually uncountable) Organizational structure and governance, especially of a state or a religion.]

verb

(transitive) To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).

(transitive, figurative) To enforce norms or standards upon.

(ambitransitive, military, slang) To clean up an area.

Roots

polispolic- · Greek · city, state

Synonyms for police

constabularyn patroln troopersn mountiesn possen

Synonyms & related words for police

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of police — including constabulary, patrol, troopers, mounties, posse. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to police

Explore words related to police — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include cops, policeman, policemen, policewoman, patrolman, constable, officers, detectives. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for police

Common synonyms for police include constabulary, patrol, troopers, mounties, posse — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does police come from?

The word police breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root polic-, from Greek polis (“city, state”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.