noun
politics
The activities and relationships involved in governing or seeking power.
Local politics shapes how our town spends its money.
Etymology
The Greek expression names the affairs of citizens or the state. English preserves that collective sense for governing activities and struggles over public power.
More examples
- She enters politics to improve public schools.
- Party rivalries make national politics difficult to predict.
- Office politics can influence who gets promoted.
Forms
political adjective — Relating to government or public power.
politician noun — A person active in government or politics.
Similar words
- government
- Emphasizes governing institutions and administration rather than competition for power.
- statecraft
- Emphasizes the skill of governing rather than competition for power.