Standard Lemma guide

popular

adj · noun · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈpɒp.jʊ.lə/
  • General-American: /ˈpɑ.pjə.lɚ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒpjələ(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: P AA1 P Y AH0 L ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Common among the general public; generally accepted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Concerning the people; public.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Pertaining to or deriving from the people or general public.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of low birth, not noble; vulgar, plebian.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Aimed at ordinary people, as opposed to specialists etc.; intended for general consumption.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Cultivating the favour of the common people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adj

Meaning 7

Liked by many people; generally pleasing, widely admired.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adj

Meaning 8

Adapted to the means of the common people; cheap.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

A person who is popular, especially at a school.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

An inexpensive newspaper with wide circulation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: in-plural

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

A member of the Populares

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

A member of any political party with "Popular" in the title, such as the Partido Popular in Spain or Popolari di Italia Domani in Italy

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

adjective

Meaning 13

regarded with great favor, approval, or affection especially by the general public

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a popular tourist attraction
  • a popular girl
  • cabbage patch dolls are no longer popular

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: unpopular

14

adjective satellite

Meaning 14

(of music or art) new and of general appeal (especially among young people)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pop

Antonyms: none provided

15

adjective satellite

Meaning 15

representing or appealing to or adapted for the benefit of the people at large

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • democratic art forms
  • a democratic or popular movement
  • popular thought
  • popular science
  • popular fiction

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: democratic

Antonyms: none provided

16

adjective satellite

Meaning 16

carried on by or for the people (or citizens) at large

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the popular vote
  • popular representation
  • institutions of popular government

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Italic *poplos Old Latin populus Latin populus Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin -āris Latin populārislbor. Old French populairebor. ▲ Latin populārisbor. Middle English populer English popular Inherited from Middle English populer, borrowed from Old French populaire, or borrowed from Latin populāris.

Across languages

Translations

165 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: شَعْبِيّ (šaʕbiyy) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Armenian: ժողովրդական (žoġovrdakan) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Basque: herrikoi — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Belarusian: наро́дны (naródny) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Bulgarian: наро́ден (naróden) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Catalan: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 人民 (rénmín) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 民 (mín) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Czech: lidový — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Danish: folkelig — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Danish: populær- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Dutch: volks- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Dutch: volks — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Esperanto: popola — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Finnish: kansan- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Finnish: kansanomainen — of or pertaining to the common people
  • French: populaire — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Galician: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Georgian: სახალხო (saxalxo) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • German: Volks- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Greek: λαϊκός (laïkós) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hindi: लोकप्रसिद्ध (lokaprasiddh) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: köz- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: közkeletű — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: tömeg- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: tömeges — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: nép- — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Hungarian: népi — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Indonesian: populer — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Irish: coiteann — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Italian: popolare — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Ladin: populer — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Latin: popularis — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Macedonian: народен (naroden) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Māori: o te marea — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Māori: a te marea — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Norwegian Bokmål: folkelig — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: folkeleg — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Occitan: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Old English: folclīċ — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Persian: رایج (râyej) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Persian: متداول (motedâvel) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Polish: powszechny — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Polish: ludowy — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Portuguese: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Romanian: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Russian: наро́дный (naródnyj) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Serbo-Croatian: на́роднӣ — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Serbo-Croatian: národnī — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Slovak: ľudový — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Slovene: ljudski — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Spanish: popular — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Swahili: maarufu — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Swedish: folklig — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Swedish: populär — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Telugu: ప్రజా (prajā) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Ukrainian: наро́дний (naródnyj) — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Vietnamese: nhân dân — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Vietnamese: bình nhân — of or pertaining to the common people
  • Bulgarian: популярен (populjaren) — aimed at the general public
  • Danish: folkelig — aimed at the general public
  • Finnish: helppotajuinen — aimed at the general public
  • Galician: popular — aimed at the general public
  • German: populär- — aimed at the general public
  • Hungarian: köz- — aimed at the general public
  • Hungarian: tömeg- — aimed at the general public
  • Indonesian: populer — aimed at the general public
  • Macedonian: популарен (popularen) — aimed at the general public
  • Māori: arotini — aimed at the general public
  • Occitan: popularizat — aimed at the general public
  • Polish: popularny — aimed at the general public
  • Portuguese: popular — aimed at the general public
  • Slovene: ljudski — aimed at the general public
  • Swedish: folklig — aimed at the general public
  • Swedish: populär — aimed at the general public
  • Vietnamese: đại chúng — aimed at the general public
  • Vietnamese: phổ cập — aimed at the general public
  • Bulgarian: общодостъпен (obštodostǎpen) — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Danish: folkelig — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Esperanto: vulgara — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Finnish: talous- — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Finnish: kansan- — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Galician: popular — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Hungarian: populáris — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Hungarian: bulvár- — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Indonesian: populer — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Polish: przeznaczony dla laików — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Portuguese: popular — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Russian: общедосту́пный (obščedostúpnyj) — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Swedish: folklig — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Swedish: populär — adapted to the means of the common people; cheap
  • Albanian: popullor — liked by many people
  • Arabic: مَحْبُوب (maḥbūb) — liked by many people
  • Azerbaijani: populyar — liked by many people
  • Belarusian: папуля́рны (papuljárny) — liked by many people
  • Bulgarian: популя́рен (populjáren) — liked by many people
  • Catalan: popular — liked by many people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 受歡迎 /受欢迎 (shòuhuānyíng) — liked by many people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 流行 (liúxíng) — liked by many people
  • Chinese Mandarin: 有人緣兒 /有人缘儿 (yǒu rényuánr) — liked by many people
  • Czech: oblíbený — liked by many people
  • Czech: populární — liked by many people
  • Danish: populær — liked by many people
  • Dutch: populair — liked by many people
  • Dutch: geliefd — liked by many people
  • Dutch: gewild — liked by many people
  • Dutch: in trek — liked by many people
  • Esperanto: populara — liked by many people
  • Finnish: suosittu — liked by many people
  • Finnish: populääri — liked by many people
  • French: populaire — liked by many people
  • Galician: popular — liked by many people
  • Georgian: პოპულარული (ṗoṗularuli) — liked by many people
  • German: beliebt — liked by many people
  • German: populär — liked by many people
  • Greek: δημοφιλής (dimofilís) — liked by many people
  • Ancient Greek: δημώδης (dēmṓdēs) — liked by many people
  • Hindi: लोकप्रिय (lokapriya) — liked by many people
  • Hindi: लोकप्रसिद्ध (lokaprasiddh) — liked by many people
  • Hungarian: népszerű — liked by many people
  • Hungarian: közkedvelt — liked by many people
  • Icelandic: vinsæll — liked by many people
  • Indonesian: populer — liked by many people
  • Italian: popolare — liked by many people
  • Japanese: 人気のある (ninki no aru) — liked by many people
  • Japanese: 受けのよい (uke no yoi) — liked by many people
  • Khmer: ឮឈ្មោះ (lɨɨ cmʊəh) — liked by many people
  • Khmer: វិស្សុតនាម (vihsot niem) — liked by many people
  • Khmer: ល្បី (lbəy) — liked by many people
  • Korean: 인기 있는 (in'gi inneun) — liked by many people
  • Latin: favōrābilis — liked by many people
  • Latvian: populārs — liked by many people
  • Malay: popular — liked by many people
  • Māori: kaingākau — liked by many people
  • Māori: rorotu — liked by many people
  • Marathi: लोकप्रिय (lokapriy) — liked by many people
  • Norman: populaithe — liked by many people
  • Norwegian Bokmål: populær — liked by many people
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: populær — liked by many people
  • Occitan: popular — liked by many people
  • Persian: پرطرفدار (portarafdâr) — liked by many people
  • Persian: محبوب (mahbub) — liked by many people
  • Plautdietsch: beleeft — liked by many people
  • Polish: popularny — liked by many people
  • Portuguese: popular — liked by many people
  • Romanian: popular — liked by many people
  • Romanian: agreat — liked by many people
  • Russian: популя́рный (populjárnyj) — liked by many people
  • Serbo-Croatian: по̏пула̄ран — liked by many people
  • Serbo-Croatian: pȍpulāran — liked by many people
  • Slovak: obľúbený — liked by many people
  • Slovak: populárny — liked by many people
  • Slovene: priljubljen — liked by many people
  • Spanish: popular — liked by many people
  • Spanish: célebre — liked by many people
  • Spanish: insigne — liked by many people
  • Swahili: maarufu — liked by many people
  • Swedish: populär — liked by many people
  • Telugu: ప్రాచుర్యమైన (prācuryamaina) — liked by many people
  • Thai: ฮิต (hít) — liked by many people
  • Turkish: popüler — liked by many people
  • Ukrainian: популя́рний (populjárnyj) — liked by many people
  • Vietnamese: phổ biến — liked by many people
  • Vietnamese: nổi tiếng — liked by many people
  • Yiddish: פּאָפּולער (populer) — liked by many people
Real reading context

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