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.

See Examples For:

popular culture

Despite the way it is often portrayed in popular culture, 68% of the physicists surveyed said the Big Bang does not necessarily represent the beginning of time.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

Already well established as a singer, 9 To 5, external brought Parton over into the mainstream popular culture.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Las Vegas also finds its own ways to commemorate its marks on history and popular culture — another way it’s proved useful for filming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Although NeXT’s presence in popular culture was overshadowed by Apple, the DNA of its operating system, NEXTSTEP, became the foundation for Apple’s products, from Macs to iPhones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

He was learning how to plug himself into popular culture in order to understand new fashion trends.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell

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