POL'ITIC, adjective [Latin politicus; Gr. a city.] 1. Wise; prudent and sagacious in devising and pursuing measures adapted to promote the public welfare; applied to persons; as a politic prince. 2. Well devised and adapted to the public prosperity; applied to things. This land was famously enriched With politic grave counsel. 3. Ingenious in devising and pursuing any scheme of personal or national aggrandizement, without regard to the morality of the measure; cunning; artful; sagacious in adapting means to the end, whether good or evil. I have been politic with my friend, smooth with my enemy. 4. Well devised; adapted to its end, right or wrong.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI