Word: politic (adjective)

Associations

The word "politic" means being wise, careful, and sensible, especially in a way that helps you avoid problems or make good decisions in social or political situations.

• When you give a careful answer to a difficult question, you are being politic. For example: "It was politic of her to stay silent during the argument."
• A leader making a careful decision to keep peace is acting politic. For example: "The politician took a politic approach to the crisis."
• When you avoid saying something that might offend someone, you are being politic. For example: "He made a politic comment to avoid hurting feelings."

Synonym: "prudent" is similar but more about general carefulness in any situation, while "politic" often refers to social or political wisdom.

Substitution

You can sometimes replace "politic" with:

• wise (more general)
• prudent (careful and sensible)
• tactful (careful not to upset others, especially in social situations)

Example change in meaning:

• Saying "tactful" focuses more on avoiding offense.
• Saying "prudent" focuses more on careful judgment.

Deconstruction

"Politic" comes from Latin "politicus," meaning "of citizens or government," related to "polis" (city). It originally referred to matters of state or government but now means being wise or shrewd in social or political matters.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a time when being politic helped you avoid a problem?
• How is being politic different from just being honest?
• Why might someone want to be politic in a conversation with friends or at work?