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.

Rock music no longer occupies the same place in popular culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026

We take it for granted that these films hold prized placement in American popular culture, along with hip-hop’s influence across Asia.

From Salon • May 31, 2026

Platforms such as Polymarket and Kalshi let users bet on future events in areas such as politics, war, and popular culture.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

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

From Science Daily • May 22, 2026

Talking about sports, TV popular culture, or anything else the client wants to discuss is absolutely appropriate to building a relationship that makes effective work possible.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

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