populous

[pop-yuh-luhs]

adjective

1. full of residents or inhabitants, as a region; heavily populated.

2. jammed or crowded with people.

   There's no more populous place than Times Square on New Year's Eve.

   Synonyms: teeming, packed

3. forming or comprising a large number or quantity.

   Because of epidemics the tribes are not nearly so populous as they once were.

populous

/ ˈpɒpjʊləs /

adjective

1. containing many inhabitants; abundantly populated

Other Word Forms

• populously adverb
• populousness noun
• nonpopulous adjective
• nonpopulously adverb
• nonpopulousness noun
• overpopulous adjective
• overpopulously adverb
• overpopulousness noun
• unpopulous adjective
• unpopulously adverb
• unpopulousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of populous¹

1400–50; late Middle English populus < Latin populōsus. See people, -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of populous¹

C15: from Late Latin populōsus

Example Sentences

The authorities in Lagos - the most populous state in Nigeria - said they were beefing up security at schools, places of worship and other key buildings to prevent attacks.

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Even for Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, the St. Mary’s abduction was large.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

AFP looks at the evolution of mass kidnappings in Africa's most populous country.

Read more on Barron's

Amid mounting fears over security in Africa's most populous nation, authorities in the nearby states of Katsina and Plateau ordered all schools to close as a precautionary measure.

Read more on Barron's

President Bola Tinubu this week postponed his foreign trips to address the rising wave of attacks across Africa's most populous country.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• crowded 
• numerous 
• populated www.thesaurus.com
• various