hoi polloi

plural noun

hoi pol·​loi ˌhȯi-pə-ˈlȯi 

: the general populace : masses

Several public boat ramps scattered around the lake give the hoi polloi access.

—Ella Gonzales

… two covert green rooms are available off the lobby for stars who don't want to mingle with hoi polloi.

—Brooks Barnes

Did you know?

In Greek, hoi polloi means simply "the many". (Even though hoi itself means "the", in English we almost always say "the hoi polloi".) It comes originally from the famous Funeral Oration by Pericles, where it was actually used in a positive way. Today it's generally used by people who think of themselves as superior—though it's also sometimes used in Pericles' democratic spirit. By the way, it has no relation to hoity-toity, meaning "stuck-up", which starts with the same sound but has nothing to do with Greek.

Synonyms of hoi polloi

• public
• populace
• people
• crowd
• mass
• rank and file
• millions
• mob

Examples of hoi polloi in a Sentence

"I pay no attention to the opinions of the hoi polloi," the writer sniffed

Recent Examples on the Web

The Viennese set designer Oskar Strnad saw traditional theaters as agents of social stratification with the imperial box in the center, the bourgeoisie in the parquet, and the hoi polloi in the nosebleed balcony. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 29 July 2026

The whitewashed building’s accessible only by a five-minute speedboat ride or helicopter, keeping the hoi polloi at bay; the skipper and boat come bundled for your use during your stay, as does a hostess and cook. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 23 July 2026

Now, many pessimists would say that just based on interviewing the person on the street, there’s not a big appetite for this kind of transformation among the hoi polloi. — John Werner, Forbes.com, 25 Feb. 2026

Next up is none other than The U, yet another member of the college football hoi polloi, in a championship game that might require organ donation to get a ticket. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek, the many

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hoi polloi

• corduroy
• fauntleroy
• iroquois
• ahoy
• alloy
• annoy
• carboy
• convoy
• cowboy
• decoy
• deploy
• destroy