What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Politic vs Government - What's the difference?

politic | government |

As an adjective politic

is political.

As a noun government is

the body with the power to make and/or enforce laws to control a country, land area, people or organization.

politic

English

Alternative forms

* politick (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (archaic) Of or relating to polity, or civil government; political.
    • the body politic
  • * (rfdate) Sir (Philip Sidney)
    • He with his people made all but one politic body.
  • (archaic) Relating to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; said of things.
    • a politic treaty
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • enrich'd with politic grave counsel
  • (archaic) Sagacious in promoting a policy; ingenious in devising and advancing a system of management; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious
  • * (rfdate) Shakespeare
    • Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy.
  • , prudent and expedient.
  • and diplomatic.
  • , crafty or cunning.

    • Antonyms

    * impolitic

    Related terms

    * police * policy * political * politician * politicize * politics * polity

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A politician.
    • (Francis Bacon)
  • * Lowell
    • Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark? he borrows a lantern; / Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars.
    ----

    government

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (nonstandard) , (l), (l)

    Noun

  • The body with the power to make and/or enforce laws to control a country, land area, people or organization.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-06, volume=408, issue=8843, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= The rise of smart beta , passage=Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government -bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.}}
  • The relationship between a word and its dependents
  • A group of people who hold a monopoly on the legitimate use of force in a given territory.
  • The state and its administration viewed as the ruling political power.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=76, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Snakes and ladders , passage=Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins.}}
  • (lb) The management or control of a system.
  • :
  • The tenure of a chief of state.

    • Derived terms

    * big government * branch of government * close enough for government work * federal government * government agent * government bond * government-censored * government cheese * government debt * government house * government issue * government man * government note * government purchases * government security * government stroke * government wharf * governmental * governmentese * governmentwide * head of government * in government * local government * military government * minority government * municipal government * non-government * parliamentary government * petticoat government * puppet government * representative government * seat of government * self-government * shadow government * unitary government

    Related terms

    * govern * governance * governor

    Usage notes

    In the United States, "government" is considered to be divided into three branches; the legislature (the House of Representatives and the Senate) which makes law, the Administration (under the President) which runs sections of government within the law, and the Courts, which adjudicate on matters of the law. This is a much wider meaning of "government" than exists in other countries where the term "government" means the ruling political force of the prime minister and his/her cabinet ministers (what Americans would call the Administration). In Britain, the administrative organs of the nation are collectively referred to as "the state". In Canada government'' is used in both senses and neither ''state'' nor ''administration are used. Applied to many countries in continental Europe (when using English), the British usage is common.

    See also

    *

    Statistics

    *