A kind and friendly ____ helped the lost child find her parents.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The ____ directed traffic at the busy intersection after the traffic lights stopped working.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *tpelH-
Proto-Hellenic *ptólis
Ancient Greek πόλις (pólis)
Proto-Indo-European *-tósder.
Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)
Ancient Greek πολῑ́της (polī́tēs)
Proto-Indo-European *-h₂
Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂
Proto-Indo-European *-i-eh₂
Proto-Hellenic *-íā
Ancient Greek -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā)
Ancient Greek πολῑτείᾱ (polīteíā)bor.
Latin politiabor.
Middle French policeder.
English police
Proto-Indo-European *mon-
Proto-Germanic *mann-
Proto-West Germanic *mann
Old English mann
Middle English man
Middle English -man
English -man
English policeman
From police + -man.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The policeman who arrests the "Red" does not understand the theories the "Red" is preaching; if he did, his own position as bodyguard of the monied class might seem less pleasant to him."
— 1941, George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn, Pt. I:
"Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him."
— 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
"Still agitated, she watched resentfully as two traffic policemen remounted their motorcycles."
— 2000, JG Ballard, Super-Cannes, Fourth Estate, published 2011, page 378:
"A team may have a policeman or enforcer."
— 2002, P. J. Harari, Dave Ominsky, Ice Hockey Made Simple: A Spectator's Guide, page 26: