population

noun

pop·​u·​la·​tion ˌpä-pyə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce population (audio)
1
a
: the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region
b
: the total of individuals occupying an area or making up a whole
c
: the total of particles at a particular energy level
used especially of atoms in a laser
2
: the act or process of populating
3
a
: a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in common
b(1)
: the organisms inhabiting a particular locality
(2)
: a group of interbreeding organisms that represents the level of organization at which speciation begins
4
: a group of individual persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for statistical measurement
populational adjective

Examples of population in a Sentence

The world's population has increased greatly. The city has experienced an increase in population. There has been a sharp reduction in the bat population in this region. the rural population of America
Recent Examples on the Web There are about 12 Amish communities in Virginia, according to the Amish America blog, which also noted that the population has been growing rapidly — tripling in the last decade or so. Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2024 The gangs terrorized the population with systematic rape, indiscriminate kidnapping and mass killing, all with impunity. Samantha Schmidt, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Though its population clocks in at less than 700, Seydisfjordur has been named one of the best small towns in Iceland thanks to its healthy arts scene and a fair share of guesthouses, breweries, and restaurants (including what's regularly declared the country's best sushi restaurant, Norð Austur). Anne Olivia Bauso, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 The war in Gaza has killed more than 30,000 people, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza, and the remaining population has been forced from their homes and struggle to survive. Clarissa Ward, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 That’s about 42% women, in a state where half the population is female. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2024 In the last decade, the population has grown by an average of 2 percent annually and now sits at around 325,000 birds, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2023 Waterfowl Population Status Report. Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 8 Mar. 2024 According to a separate report released yesterday by Climate Central, about 80 percent of Earth’s population — some 6.7 billion people — was exposed to unusual warmth linked to climate change between December 2023 and February 2024. Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2024 The United Nations warned that a quarter of Gaza's population is at risk of starving. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'population.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin population-, populatio, from Latin populus

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of population was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near population

Cite this Entry

“Population.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/population. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

population

noun
pop·​u·​la·​tion ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce population (audio)
1
: the whole number of people living in a country or region
2
: the act or process of populating
3
: a group of one or more species of organisms living in a particular area or habitat

Medical Definition

population

noun
pop·​u·​la·​tion ˌpäp-yə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce population (audio)
1
: the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region
2
a
: a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in common
b(1)
: the organisms inhabiting a particular locality
(2)
: a group of interbreeding organisms that represents the level of organization at which speciation begins
3
: a group of individual persons, objects, or items from which samples are taken for statistical measurement

More from Merriam-Webster on population

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