POLITIC

politic, smooth, suave, bland

(adjective) smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of sophistication; “he was too politic to quarrel with so important a personage”; “the manager pacified the customer with a smooth apology for the error”

politic

(adjective) marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness; “it is neither polite nor politic to get into other people’s quarrels”; “a politic decision”; “a politic manager”; “a politic old scoundrel”; “a shrewd and politic reply”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Adjective

politic (comparative more politic, superlative most politic)

(archaic) Of or relating to polity, or civil government; political.

(archaic, of things) Relating to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong.

(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

Shrewd, prudent and expedient.

Discreet and diplomatic.

Artful, crafty or cunning.

Antonyms

• impolitic

Noun

politic (plural politics)

(archaic) A politician.

Verb

politic (third-person singular simple present politics, present participle politicking, simple past and past participle politicked)

To engage in political activity; politick.

Source: Wiktionary

Pol"i*tic, a. Etym: [L. politicus political, Gr. politique. See Police, and cf. ePolitical.]

1. Of or pertaining to polity, or civil government; political; as, the body politic. See under Body. He with his people made all but one politic body. Sir P. Sidney.

2. Pertaining to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; -- said of things; as, a politic treaty. "Enrich'd with politic grave counsel." Shak.

3. 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; and in a bad sense, artful; unscrupulous; cunning; -- said of persons. Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy. Shak.

Syn.

– Wise; prudent; sagacious; discreet; provident; wary; artful; cunning.

Pol`i*tic, n.

Definition: A politician. [Archaic] Bacon. Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark he borrows a lantern; Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars. Lowell.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition