vox populi

American  

[voks pop-yuh-lahy] / ˈvɒks ˈpɒp yəˌlaɪ /

noun

1. the voice of the people; popular opinion. vox pop.

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vox populi British  

/ ˈpɒpjʊˌlaɪ /

noun

1. the voice of the people; popular or public opinion

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Etymology

Origin of vox populi

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin vōx populī, equivalent to vōx “voice” + populī, genitive singular of populus people; voice ( def. )

Example Sentences

"It's become a kind of received wisdom among the vox populi that there's all sorts of bureaucratic waste in the government, and there really isn’t," Lofgren said.

From Salon • Dec. 8, 2024

And although Hal Steinbrenner doesn’t listen to sports radio and devour the tabloids, he’s kept abreast of the vox populi by nephew Stephen Swindal Jr., assistant director of player development.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 7, 2019

And although Hal Steinbrenner doesn’t listen to sports radio and devour the tabloids, he’s kept abreast of the vox populi by nephew Stephen Swindal Jr., assistant director of player development.

From Washington Times • Feb. 7, 2019

Fatiullah Qaisari, a member of the Afghan Parliament’s Defense Committee, said the insurgents were using such vox populi campaigns to improve their standing in case peace negotiations come to fruition.

From New York Times • Aug. 19, 2018

While I am fascinated by the linguistic exuberance of the vox populi, I’d be the first to argue that having prescriptive rules is desirable, indeed indispensable, in many arenas of writing.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker