isopolity

I1S1O1P3O1L1I1T1Y4

noun

Equal rights of citizenship in different communities; mutual political rights.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounisopolity (countable and uncountable, plural isopolities)

plural isopolities

  1. countableuncountableEqual rights of citizenship in different communities; mutual political rights.

    A state of isopolity existed when the citizenship of one city was made equivalent to that of another, and vice versa.

    2004, Roger Bagnall, Peter Derow, The Hellenistic Period
    2 more examples

    Isopolity...was a relation entered into by treaty between two perfectly equal and independent cities, mutually securing to their citizens all those privileges which a resident alien either could not exercise at all, or only through the mediation of a guardian; the right of intermarriage, of purchasing landed property, of making contracts of every kind, of suing and being sued in person, of being exempted from imposts [taxes] where citizens were so; and also of partaking in sacrifices and festivals.

    1832, Barthold Niebuhr, The History of Rome, volume 2

    A mutual exchange of the private rights of citizenship established the relationship of isopolity...and carried with it the right of intermarriage...and the right to hold land and houses...in each other's dominions.

    1911, Coleman Phillipson, The International Law and Custom of Ancient Greece and Rome, volume 1

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἰσοπολιτεία
  2. Englishisopolity

From Ancient Greek ἰσοπολιτεία (isopoliteía), from ἰσοπολίτης (isopolítēs, “citizen with equal rights”), from ἴσος (ísos, “equal, same”) + πολίτης (polítēs, “citizen”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

isopolity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isopolity

MLA

“isopolity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isopolity. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “isopolity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/isopolity.

Source: isopolity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.