popular

pop·u·lar

adjective \ˈpä-pyə-lər\

Definition of POPULAR

1

: of or relating to the general public

2

: suitable to the majority: as

a : adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority <a popular history of the war>

b : suited to the means of the majority : inexpensive <sold at popular prices>

3

: frequently encountered or widely accepted <a popular theory>

4

: commonly liked or approved <a very popular girl>

— pop·u·lar·ly adverb

Examples of POPULAR

1. They have names that were popular a century ago.
2. He is a popular guy in school.
3. Spicy foods have become increasingly popular.
4. That is a very popular misconception.
5. The word “groovy” was popular in the 1960s but it's outdated now.
6. Her theories are popular among social scientists.
7. a popular history of physics

Origin of POPULAR

Latin popularis, from populus the people, a people

First Known Use: 1548

Related to POPULAR

Synonyms

big, crowd-pleasing, du jour, faddish, faddy, fashionable, favorite, happening, hot, in, large, modish, pop, popularized, red-hot, vogue, voguish

Antonyms

out, unfashionable, unpopular

Related Words

semipopular; favorite, preferred, selected; desirable, liked, wanted; celebrated, famed, famous, noted, notorious, prominent, renowned, well-known; fabled, fabulous, legendary; leading, notable, outstanding, prominent, remarkable; important, significant

Near Antonyms

washed-up; despised, detested, disliked, hated, rejected; insignificant, unimportant; indistinguished, unexceptional; anonymous, nameless, obscure, unknown; inconspicuous

See Synonym Discussion at common

Other Sociology Terms

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