populate

[pop-yuh-leyt]

verb (used with object)

populated, populating 

1. to inhabit; live in; be the inhabitants of.

   Almost 2 million people populate the immediate area of the factory and were exposed to potential carcinogens.

2. to furnish with inhabitants, as by colonization; people.

   In the 1700s, the British government populated the colony of New South Wales with convicts.

3. Digital Technology.,  to fill (a digital document): She’s a fantastic photographer who has populated her blog with beautiful images.

   The survey results will populate the spreadsheet as soon as they are submitted online.

   She’s a fantastic photographer who has populated her blog with beautiful images.

populate

/ ˈpɒpjʊˌleɪt /

verb

1. (often passive) to live in; inhabit

2. to provide a population for; colonize or people

Other Word Forms

• outpopulate verb (used with object)
• repopulate verb (used with object)
• superpopulated adjective
• underpopulate verb (used with object)
• unpopulated adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of populate¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin populātus, past participle of populāre “to populate, inhabit”; people, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of populate¹

C16: from Medieval Latin populāre to provide with inhabitants, from Latin populus people

Example Sentences

Cinema is not a video game populated by avatars; it is a medium of imagination grounded in human imperfection.

From Los Angeles Times

Protecting lives is no easy task in the nation’s most populated county, built on land prone to fires and straddling five active earthquake faults.

From Los Angeles Times

The Tripp proposal is key to ending a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan that started over Nagorno-Karabakh, a part of Azerbaijan historically populated by Armenians.

From BBC

The troglodytes that populate X — among whom Vance spends an inordinate amount of his day — may be thrilled.

From Salon

But these places are far from job centers, have little infrastructure and are sparsely populated, mostly by retirees and people with few financial resources.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• colonize 
• inhabit 
• occupy