adj · 3 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
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CMU ARPABET:AH2 N P AA1 P Y AH0 L ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Lacking popularity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
an unpopular opinion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Not liked or popular; disliked or ignored by the public.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective
Meaning 3
regarded with disfavor or lacking general approval
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
unpopular ideas
an unpopular war
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: popular
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- 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 English unpopular From un- + popular.
Across languages
Translations
41 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
impopular
— lacking popularity
Chinese Mandarin:
不得人心
(bùdérénxīn)
— lacking popularity