Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Politic \Pol`i*tic\, n.
   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.

Politic \Pol"i*tic\, a. [L. politicus political, Gr. ? belonging
   to the citizens or to the state, fr.? citizen: cf. F.
   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.

Source : WordNet®

politic
     adj 1: 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" [ant: {impolitic}]
     2: smoothly agreeable and courteous with a degree of
        sophistication; "he was too politic to quarrel with so
        important a personage"; "the hostess averted a
        confrontation between two guests with a diplomatic change
        of subject"; "the manager pacified the customer with a
        smooth apology for the error"; "affable, suave, moderate
        men...smugly convinced of their respectability" - Ezra
        Pound [syn: {smooth}, {suave}]