populace

pop·u·lace

noun \ˈpä-pyə-ləs\

Definition of POPULACE

1

: the common people : masses

2

: population

Examples of POPULACE

1. The populace has suffered greatly.
2. <high officials awkwardly mingling with the general populace>

Origin of POPULACE

Middle French, from Italian popolaccio rabble, augmentative of popolo the people, from Latin populus

First Known Use: 1572

Related to POPULACE

Synonyms

commoners, commons, crowd, herd, hoi polloi, millions, mob, multitude, people, plebeians, plebs, mass, public, rank and file

Antonyms

A-list, aristocracy, best, choice, corps d'elite, cream, elect, elite, fat, flower, pick, pink, pride, upper crust

Related Words

cattle, proletariat, rabble, rabblement, ragtag and bobtail, riffraff, rout, scum, tag, rag, and bobtail (or tagrag and bobtail), trash, unwashed; bourgeoisie, middle class

Near Antonyms

gentility, gentlefolk (also gentlefolks), gentry, haute monde, nobility, patriciate, peerage, quality, royalty, society

Other Sociology Terms

bourgeois, ethos, eugenics, exurb, incommunicado, intelligentsia, megalopolis, metrosexual, mores, subculture