populist

American  

[pop-yuh-list] / ˈpɒp yə lɪst /

noun

1. a supporter or adherent of populism.

2. (initial capital letter) a member of the People's party.

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adjective

1. Also populistic. of, relating to, or characteristic of populism or its adherents.

2. (initial capital letter) Also Populistic. of or relating to the People's party.

Populist ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒpjʊlɪst /

noun

1. history a member of the People's Party, formed largely by agrarian interests to contest the 1892 presidential election. The movement gradually dissolved after the 1904 election

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adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to the People's Party, the Populists, or any individual or movement with similar aims

populist ² British  

/ ˈpɒpjʊlɪst /

adjective

1. appealing to the interests or prejudices of ordinary people

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noun

1. a person, esp a politician, who appeals to the interests or prejudices of ordinary people

Other Word Forms

• Populism noun
• anti-populist noun

Etymology

Origin of populist

An Americanism first recorded in 1890–95; from Latin popul(us) “people” ( people, popular ) + -ist

Example Sentences

The populist leader has said he would broach the subject with U.S. officials in Davos, Switzerland, this week.

From The Wall Street Journal

The last bilateral visit by a sitting Venezuelan president came in the 1990s -- before populist leader Hugo Chavez took power.

From Barron's

Because that’s what it essentially was: a doubling down of the status quo, if tweaked with a few “populist” sentiments and dressed up something new.

From The Wall Street Journal

Galaxy’s Edge had been moving in a more populist direction for some time.

From Los Angeles Times

“Certainly this demonstrates a populist streak on both sides of the aisle,” says Adam Rust, director of financial services at the Consumer Federation of America.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• autonomous
• constitutional
• egalitarian
• free
• orderly
• popular