Definition of population
1a : the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or regionb : the total of individuals occupying an area or making up a wholec : the total of particles at a particular energy level —used especially of atoms in a laser
2 : the act or process of populating
3a : a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in commonb (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
Read the Latest from M-W
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 of population from the Web
-
Underlying the group's work is the premise that providing assistance to civilian populations or local militias can help counter the threat posed by Islamist extremists.
-
The city says its jail population has dropped 18% since July 2015.
-
Hispanics, Asians, American Indians and people of mixed or unknown races were stopped statewide at rates below their proportion of the driving-age population, the report said.
-
Marion, seat of Perry County, has a population of more than 3,600 and is home to Judson College and the Marion Military Institute.
-
Each week following episodes of the third and final season of The Leftovers, Sophie Gilbert and Spencer Kornhaber will discuss HBO’s drama about the aftermath of 2 percent of the world’s population suddenly vanishing.
-
Fairbanks receives about 6 percent of federal funds allocated to Alaska to fight homelessness, although the city is estimated to have 13 percent of the state’s homeless population, Sanders said.
-
Neither figure is realistic, given the country’s aging population, and low growth in productivity, Ms. Swonk said.
-
Soliris—a drug that treats 0.0003 percent of the country’s population—accounted for 30 percent of Brazil’s judicialization budget in 2013 and 2014.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'population'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of population
Late Latin population-, populatio, from Latin populus
First Known Use: 1612
Other Ecology Terms
POPULATION Defined for English Language Learners
population
playDefinition of population for English Language Learners
-
: the number of people who live in a place
-
: a group of people or animals of a particular kind that live in a place
POPULATION Defined for Kids
population
playDefinition of population for Students
1 : the whole number of people living in a country, city, or area
2 : a group of people or animals living in a certain place the deer population
Word Root of population
The Latin word populus, meaning “people,” gives us the root popul. Words from the Latin populus have something to do with people. A population is the group of people living in a particular place. Anything popular is common among or enjoyed by many people. A place that is populous has many people living in it.
Medical Dictionary
population
playMedical Definition of population
1: the whole number of people or inhabitants in a country or region
2a: a body of persons or individuals having a quality or characteristic in commonb (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
Learn More about population
-
See words that rhyme with population Spanish Central: Translation of population Nglish: Translation of population for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of population for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about population
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up population? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!