popular

[pop-yuh-ler]

adjective

1. regarded with favor, approval, or affection by people in general.

   a popular preacher.

   Synonyms: bookmark

2. regarded with favor, approval, or affection by an acquaintance or acquaintances.

   He's not very popular with me just now.

3. of, relating to, or representing the people, especially the common people.

   popular discontent.

4. of the people as a whole, especially of all citizens of a nation or state qualified to participate in an election.

   popular suffrage; the popular vote; popular representation.

5. prevailing among the people generally.

   a popular superstition.

   Synonyms: current, common

6. suited to or intended for the general masses of people.

   popular music.

7. adapted to the ordinary intelligence or taste.

   popular lectures on science.

8. suited to the means of ordinary people; not expensive.

   popular prices on all tickets.

popular

/ ˈpɒpjʊlə, ˌpɒpjʊˈlærɪtɪ /

adjective

1. appealing to the general public; widely favoured or admired

2. favoured by an individual or limited group

   I'm not very popular with her

3. connected with, representing, or prevailing among the general public; common

   popular discontent

4. appealing to or comprehensible to the layman

   a popular lecture on physics

noun

1. Also shortened to: pops. (usually plural) cheap newspapers with mass circulation; the popular press

Other Word Forms

• antipopular adjective
• nonpopular adjective
• overpopular adjective
• pseudopopular adjective
• quasi-popular adjective
• semipopular adjective
• popularity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of popular¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English populer, from Latin populāris; people, -ar ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of popular¹

C15: from Latin populāris belonging to the people, democratic, from populus people

Synonym Study

See general.

Example Sentences

Last week, Cyclone Montha triggered heavy rain and snowfall across Nepal, leaving trekkers and tourists stranded on popular Himalayan trekking routes.

Read more on Barron's

More recently, titles like K-Pop Demon Hunters and The Thursday Murder Club are playing for just a few weeks in cinemas, despite proving to be hugely popular.

Read more on BBC

He said climbing tours were popular and the weather conditions were good, but wondered why the mountaineers were climbing late in the afternoon, as the descent would have then taken until nightfall.

Read more on BBC

Even so, declaring that spacetime does not exist often provokes disagreement across fields such as modern physics, philosophy, and science communication, as well as in popular science fiction.

Read more on Science Daily

Its most popular event — a full moon hike capped with yoga, a sound bath and stargazing — happens every month, timed to the moonrise, and often it draws dozens of newcomers.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attractive 
• beloved 
• famous 
• fashionable 
• favored 
• prominent 
• suitable 
• trendy