popular culture

American

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

noun

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.

Etymology

Origin of popular culture

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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popular culture

History and popular culture in China remember their marriage as a failure, but as Mr. French shows, it was not doomed from the start.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Among the most recognisable species is the fly agaric,, external the striking red mushroom covered in white spots that has become closely associated with folklore and popular culture.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

Those displays helped turn Diplodocus into an international symbol of paleontology and one of the most familiar dinosaurs in popular culture.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

Iconic painter shaped one of the most distinctive styles in modern popular culture.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

Finally: Access to popular culture and to the Internet isn’t a privilege.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023