policy

IPA/ˈpɒləsi/
KK[pˈɑləsi]IPA/ˈpɑːləsi/

policy — noun

  • policysingular
  • policiesplural

1. an officially accepted plan that guides how a government, company, school, or ot

1.nounB2
Definition

an officially accepted plan that guides how a government, company, school, or other group deals with a particular area or problem.

Example

The school changed its phone policy after parents complained about online bullying.

Under company policy, staff must lock the back door before leaving.

under + policy for official rules

Common collocations
  • company policy
  • government policy
  • school policy
  • housing policy
  • privacy policy
  • foreign policy
Synonyms
  • rule

    usually one specific instruction, not a wider approach

  • plan

    broader and less official; may be temporary

  • strategy

    focuses more on reaching a goal than on setting rules

Grammar Patterns

policy on + topic

under + policy

a policy for + noun

Usage Note

Often appears with a noun naming the area involved, such as tax policy, safety policy, or school policy. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense belongs to an organization or government, not to one person's usual way of acting.

Common Mistakes

The school changed its politics about phones.
The school changed its policy on phones.
'politics' is about political ideas or activity, not an official rule.

2. the written insurance agreement that states what protection you have and what th

2.nounC1
Definition

the written insurance agreement that states what protection you have and what the company will pay for.

Example

Maria kept the travel policy in her bag during the whole trip.

travel policy naming a type of insurance

The fire policy covers damage to the shop after electrical accidents.

policy covers + damage or loss

Common collocations
  • health policy
  • travel policy
  • car policy
  • fire policy
  • sign a policy
  • policy covers damage
Synonyms
  • insurance contract

    more formal and legal in tone

  • cover

    informal; often means the protection itself, not the document

  • certificate

    can name proof of insurance, but may not include the full contract

Grammar Patterns

travel policy

sign a policy

policy covers + loss or cost

Usage Note

Usually follows a noun naming the insurance type, such as health, travel, home, or car. In everyday use it can refer to the paper itself or to the insurance contract shown in that document.

Common Mistakes

My policy lets me work from home on Fridays.
My company's policy lets me work from home on Fridays.
on its own, this sense normally refers to insurance, not workplace rules.

3. a personal rule or usual approach that shapes how someone behaves and makes deci

3.nounC1
Definition

a personal rule or usual approach that shapes how someone behaves and makes decisions.

Example

Rita's policy is to answer angry emails the next morning.

policy is to + verb

As a policy, Grandpa never borrows money from friends.

fixed phrase: as a policy

Common collocations
  • as a policy
  • make it a policy
  • policy is to
  • policy of doing something
Synonyms
  • principle

    stresses moral belief more strongly than habit

  • habit

    focuses on repeated action, even without a conscious rule

  • approach

    broader; can describe a method without a personal rule behind it

Grammar Patterns

policy is to + verb

make it a policy to + verb

policy of + -ing

Usage Note

Common in patterns such as policy is to..., make it a policy to..., and as a policy. Distinguish from sense 1: this use describes a person's regular principle or habit, not an officially approved rule.

Common Mistakes

The bank's policy is never lend money without a form.
The bank's policy is never to lend money without a form.
after 'policy is', this sense often takes a to-infinitive.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, policy is the best word when a government, company, or school has chosen an official way to act. A rule is usually narrower: it tells people exactly what they must or must not do. A strategy is about how to reach a goal, so it often sounds more active and competitive than policy. A principle is more general and can describe a belief, not just an official decision. Compare these: A school may have a phone policy, one classroom rule, and a strategy for improving reading scores. A leader may also act on the principle that every child should feel safe.

policy ↗rule ↗strategy ↗principle ↗

Etymology

GreekLate LatinOld FrenchMiddle English

'Policy' came into English through Old French and Late Latin from Greek politeia, a word connected with citizenship, government, and how a state is managed. Early English uses were about public administration and the running of civil life. From that idea, the word developed the modern sense of an officially chosen line of action. Later, it also came to mean the written insurance contract that sets out what protection is promised.