hoi polloi

[ hoipuh-loi ]
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plural noun
  1. Often the hoi polloi . the common people; the masses.

Origin of hoi polloi

1
First recorded in 1835–40; written in Greek letters in 1668 ; from Greek hoi polloí “the many”

Words Nearby hoi polloi

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How to use hoi polloi in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hoi polloi

hoi polloi

/ (ˌhɔɪ pəˈlɔɪ) /


pl n
  1. often derogatory the masses; common people

Origin of hoi polloi

1
Greek, literally: the many

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for hoi polloi

hoi polloi

[ (hoy puh-loy) ]


The masses, the ordinary folk; the phrase is often used in a derogatory way to refer to a popular preference or incorrect opinion: “The hoi polloi may think that Fitzgerald is a great director, but those who know about film realize that his work is commercial and derivative.” From Greek, meaning “the many.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.