politus

Politus is a Latin adjective meaning polished, smooth, or refined. It derives from polire, to polish, and appears in classical and scientific Latin to describe surfaces, textures, or manners that have been finished or refined. The masculine form is politus; the feminine form is polita; the neuter form is politum.

In taxonomy and biology, politus is used as a descriptive epithet in species names to indicate a polished or smooth appearance of the subject. The epithet agrees with the gender of the genus name (politus for masculine, polita for feminine, politum for neuter); it is not a taxon itself.

Outside biology, politus is found in art history and archaeology to describe finely polished surfaces—marble, metal, or stone—and in materials science to denote a high-quality finish.

In English-language scholarship, politus occurs primarily in Latin phrases within descriptive passages, rather than as a standalone English term. It remains a specialized descriptive word rather than a concept with an independent definition.

See also: polita, politum, polire.