1827, originally, "clinic held in a private house" (instead of a hospital), from German Poliklinik, from Greek polis "city" (see polis) + Klinik, from French clinique (see clinic). Later "a clinic in a city not attached to a hospital."
pole-star
pole-vault
police
policeman
Polichinelle
policlinic
policy
polio
poliomyelitis
-polis
polis