popular
Pluralpopulars
- 1Liked or enjoyed by many people.
Pizza is a popular lunch at our school.
That song was very popular last summer.
UsageSay popular with people, and popular for a reason: popular for its food.
Similarwell-liked, favored, beloved, sought-after
Oppositeunpopular
- 2Common among ordinary people and believed or accepted by most of them.
It is a popular belief that lightning never strikes the same place twice.
A popular story in our town says the old mill is haunted.
UsageOften in popular belief and contrary to popular belief.
Similarcommon, widespread, general, prevalent, conventional
- 3Intended for ordinary people rather than experts.
Like a recipe written for home cooks, not professional chefs.
He reads popular science magazines, not hard technical journals.
The museum gives popular talks that anyone can follow.
UsageUsually before a noun, as in popular science books.
Similaraccessible
Oppositescholarly, academic, specialist, technical
- 4Coming from or done by ordinary people as a whole, like a popular vote.
She won the popular vote in the school election.
The new law came from popular demand, not from officials.
UsageUsually before a noun, as in popular vote.
Note
Less common meanings
- 5A person many others like, especially a well-liked student at school.
She bought the same sneakers as the populars, hoping they would notice her.
The populars always sat together at lunch.
UsageUsually said as the populars.
- 6Cheap enough for ordinary people to buy.
The diner serves big meals at popular prices that workers can afford.
The publisher sold a popular edition of the book for one dollar.
UsageUsually in popular prices, prices most people can pay.
Similaraffordable, inexpensive, cheap, budget, reasonable
Oppositeexpensive, premium, exorbitant
- 7A cheap newspaper that many people buy and read.
The populars had huge headlines, while the serious papers had long reports.
He bought one of the populars, a cheap paper full of gossip.
UsageUsually the populars, the opposite of serious papers.
Similartabloid
Oppositebroadsheet
Note
- 8Born into an ordinary family, not a noble one.
Popular and shallow-headed mindes, cannot perceive the grace or comelinesse, nor judge of a smooth and quaint discourse.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, The EssayesHere, Popular means common, from ordinary low-born people, not nobles.Note
- 9Trying to win the support or approval of ordinary people.
Such popular humanity is treason.
1712, Joseph Addison, CatoHere, popular means trying to win the favor of ordinary people.Note
- 10A politician in the late Roman Republic who sought support through the people's assemblies, often against the Senate.
Showing meanings only.
Practice
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Origin
From Latin populus, meaning "people."
Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- Popular ultimately derives from Latin populus. en.wiktionary.org
- Latin populus means people. en.wiktionary.org