populous

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpä-pyə-ləs 

1

a

: densely populated

b

: having a large population

2

a

: numerous

b

: filled to capacity

populously adverb

populousness noun

Did you know?

With a metropolitan area of more than 20 million people, Mexico City could be called the world's second or third most populous city. And the nearby Aztec city of Tenochtitlán was one of the largest cities in the world even when Hernán Cortés arrived there in 1519. But by the time Cortés conquered the city in 1521 it wasn't nearly so populous, since European diseases had greatly reduced the population. Avoid confusing populous and populace, which are pronounced exactly the same.

Examples of populous in a Sentence

the most populous state in the U.S.

Recent Examples on the Web

California, America’s most populous state with some 40 million people, accounted for 14% of the nation’s GDP in 2024, according to government data, driven by Silicon Valley and its real estate and finance sectors. —Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025

The governor of the nation’s most populous state is an effective speaker and TV performer. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025

Getty Images Bismarck is the capital of North Dakota and the second-most populous in the state, after Fargo. —Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2025

With advisories in effect for populous corridors along the East Coast and across key mountain regions, millions may experience travel delays, power outages or property damage. —Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English populous, populus, borrowed from Latin populōsus, from populus people entry 1 + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for populous

• populace
• populus

Kids Definition

populous

adjective

pop·​u·​lous ˈpäp-yə-ləs 

: having a large population