ˈpɒlətɪk ˈpɑlətɪk smuːð swɑːv swɑv 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 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