Definition of "polis"

By the end of the century, poleis had been established throughout the Hellenic world, all bearing a marked family resemblance.

2006, Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation, Atlantic Books 2007, page 161

Even in his Ma's womb, you would have had to define Spud less as a foetus, more as a set of dormant drug and personality problems. He'd probably draw the polis onto them through knocking a saltcellar out of the Little Chef.

1994 , Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting, London: Minerva, page 328