popular culture

American  

[pop-yuh-ler kuhl-cher] / ˈpɒp yə lər ˈkʌl tʃər /

noun

1. cultural and commercial artifacts, media, and entertainment reflecting, suited to, or aimed at the tastes of the general masses of people.

   Most artists are influenced by a variety of external sources, including popular culture.

   The actor's role in the series made her an important figure in popular culture.

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Etymology

Origin of popular culture

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

That ground seems adequately covered in popular culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Dr Son said while the idea of a renewed inter-Korean conflict is "not unheard of" in Korean popular culture, these stories were often told "from a South Korean perspective".

From BBC • May 29, 2026

The economic benefits were lasting; and so was the impression Chapman made, initially on the communities he visited and, over time, on American popular culture.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Nevertheless, the wormhole metaphor flourished in popular culture and speculative theoretical physics.

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

As with all timeprints, the late twentieth century—defined here as 1980 to 1999—developed its own slang, some of which evolved from earlier timeprints, and others that were influenced by popular culture, primarily music.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly