populous

American  

[pop-yuh-luhs] / ˈpɒp yə ləs /

adjective

1. full of residents or inhabitants, as a region; heavily populated.

2. jammed or crowded with people.

   There's no more populous place than Times Square on New Year's Eve.

   Synonyms:

   teeming, packed

3. forming or comprising a large number or quantity.

   Because of epidemics the tribes are not nearly so populous as they once were.

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populous British  

/ ˈpɒpjʊləs /

adjective

1. containing many inhabitants; abundantly populated

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Other Word Forms

• nonpopulous adjective
• nonpopulously adverb
• nonpopulousness noun
• overpopulous adjective
• overpopulously adverb
• overpopulousness noun
• populously adverb
• populousness noun
• unpopulous adjective
• unpopulously adverb
• unpopulousness noun

Etymology

Origin of populous

1400–50; late Middle English populus < Latin populōsus. See people, -ous

Example Sentences

Australia's most populous state was set Tuesday to approve sweeping laws cracking down on guns and giving authorities the power to ban protests after the nation's deadliest mass shooting in decades.

From Barron's

The first winds of west Africa's Harmattan dry season are in the air, and Lagos, the economic capital of the continent's most populous country, is abuzz.

From Barron's

With the Unesco recognition, my beloved, chaotic, eclectic city - the capital of India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh - is finally in the spotlight for what has always defined its soul: a passion for food.

From BBC

Bishop Hicks, 58, will lead one of the Roman Catholic Church's most populous and important postings in the US.

From BBC

For a movie theater this spectacular to exist smack-dab in the middle of one of the least populous American states defies all logic.

From Salon

Related Words

• crowded
• numerous
• populated
• various